Wednesday, April 22 2015 08:59

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan opened the International Public and Political Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide in Yerevan today, on April 22. 

In his opening remarks, the president said he strongly believes that the remarks delivered, and the views expressed here will trigger a broad international reaction that in its turn may produce an invaluable impact on the raising of global wareness on this key issue.

"The international organizations' agendas, diplomatic efforts exerted by the small and large states alike, international media's headlines have recently been specifically addressing one of the tremendous challenges humanity faces. I speak of the Middle East, the modern civilization's cradle, where the surging extremism and intolerance resulted in violence and, at some places, even in genocidal acts against a number minorities. This is yet another warning to the international community alerting that the threat of the crimes of genocide, and other crimes against humanity, has not been eliminated, and requires consolidated and consistent efforts by the international organizations, states and civil society," the president said.

The Forum is one of the central events to mark the Armenian Genocide Centennial. "As you are aware, commemoration events are being held in different countries of the world, supported by the four fundamental pillars. Those are remembrance, gratitude, prevention, and revival. hese are also the messages that the Republic of Armenia, and Armenian Diaspora communities that emerged because of the Genocide in different countries wish to deliver to the international community and coming generations upon the Centennial. These four notions are also deeply symbolic for the commemoration of all other crimes of genocide committed throughout the human history,"  Serzh Sargsyan said.

The president said that for Armenians remembrance is a moral obligation and, at the same time, inalienable individual and collective right. "...Remembrance, meanwhile, is the best remedy for the descendants of those who perpetrated genocide to face their own history, and the best opportunity to restore the justice.  The crimes of genocide - Medz Yeghern, Shoah, those committed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur and elsewhere, shall be commemorated by both the successors of the victims and perpetrators. The path to reconciliation is not paved by denial, but rather by the consciousness of memory,"  he said.