EVENT DEDICATED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TAKES PLACE AT SURB SARGIS CHURCH OF DAMASCUS

DAMASCUS, JUNE 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A joint commission
created by the Armenian community of Damascus on the occasion of the
90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the 1600th anniversary of
the invention of the Armenian letters organized an event dedicated to
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Surb Sargis church of
Damascus on June 8. Foreign ambassadors and diplomatic representatives
accredited in Syria, including ones from the Russian Federation,
Belarusia, the Ukraine, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Greece, Italy,
the USA, Norway, Vatican, Iran, Poland, Romania, were invited. Yuri
Babakhanian, Charge d’Affaires of the RA in Syria, the RA Embassy
staff, primates of Damascus sister churches, three Armenian community
heads, priests, the Chairman of the Social Democrat Hunchak Party
Central Borad, members of national authorities of the Armenian
deocese of Damascus, responsibles for cultural unions were invited
as well. In the opening address, Archimandrite Armash Nalbandian,
the Primate of the Damascus deocese thanked those present for having
accepted the invitation. Then bishop Hovsep Arnautian, the Primate of
the Armenian Catholic community of Damascus briefly touched upon the
Armenian Genocide and the events followed it. Haroutiun Selimian, the
head of the Armenian Gospel community was invited as the rapporteur of
the day. He mentioned that the policy of annihilating Armenians planned
by young Turks was conducted in every detail, and as the first genocide
of the 20th century, to which 1.5 ml innocent Armenians fell sacrife,
went unpunished, during the World War II, Hitler dared to state:
“who remebers Armenian massacres now.” Then a documentary film about
the Armenian Genocide was showed for those present. Armenian music,
“Krunk,” “Dle Yaman,” was performed in parallel to the show of the
film, what made the moment more symbolic and impressive. At the end,
the Tsitsernakabert memorial complex to the Armenian Genocide appeared
on the screen. All foreign ambassadors and church primates were gifted
souvenirs with a picture of the Tsitsernakabert memorial complex
on them and English brochures telling about the Genocide. Then the
ambassadors and guests were led to the hall of Surb Sargis church
where photos testifing Armenian massacres and Turkish ferosities
were displayed.