The County of Bergen in the U.S. state of New Jersey has held a ceremony recognizing the Armenian Genocide, which began on April 24, 1915 at the direction of leaders of the Ottoman Empire and resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children, TAPinto Hackensack reports.

The event was held at the Bergen County Armenian Genocide Memorial, which was one of the first memorials in the United States recognizing the tragedy when it was erected in 1990.

"104 years ago, approximately 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children were systematically killed by the Ottoman Empire. We stand with Armenian Americans in Bergen County and throughout the world in recognizing this crime against humanity as genocide," said County Executive Jim Tedesco.

"We are united in our efforts to remember the victims and honor them by opposing bigotry, hatred, and violence wherever we encounter it.”

April 24, 1915 is the day when a group of Armenian intellectuals was rounded up and assassinated in Constantinople by the Ottoman government. On April 24, Armenians worldwide commemorated the 104th anniversary of the Genocide which continued until 1923. Some three dozen countries, hundreds of local government bodies and international organizations have so far recognized the killings of 1.5 million Armenians as Genocide. Turkey denies to this day.