A monument celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first Armenian Republic was inaugurated on Wednesday, March 21 on the premises of the Armenian Church Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon.

Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) president Bako Sahakyan first paid a tribute to the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide at the St. Martyrs Chapel.

They then proceeded to the official ceremony of the opening of the monument, which, according to His Holiness Aram I, consists of three strong pillars - Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

The Catholicos said the monument stands to testify that the struggle will go on until the restoration of all of Armenia.

According to Minority Rights Group International, there are 156,000 Armenians in Lebanon, around 4% of the population.

Lebanon was the first Arab country to recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1997.