EVENTS DEDICATED TO 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE HELD IN ARGENTINA

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 26 2006

BUENOS AIRES, APRIL 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The April 22
ceremony of ecumenic prayer and memory of the Armenian Genocide martyrs
held in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral by Cardinal Jorje
Bergoglio, the Buenos Aires Archbishop, the spiritual primate of the
Roman Catholic Church of Argentina became a particular start of events
dedicated to the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Hundreds
of Argentinians, representatives of community structures, the RA
Embassy’s staff were present at the event. In the spiritism prayer
to the memory of innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide, Cardinal
Bergoglio called on Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide as
the most serious crime committed by the Ottaman Empire towards the
Armenian nation and mankind. Primates of three Armenian confessions
of Argentina also prayed at the event. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, on the
next day, early April 23, the Surb liturgy dedicated to the Genocide
martyrs was celebrated in Armenian churches, ceremonies of laying
wreaths were organized near the Armenian monuments. After the midday,
youth organizations of community structures held political events:
the car column going round streets of the capital was turned into a
crowded march which finished by an action of protest in front of the
Turkish Embassy. Late the same day, Baroness Caroline Cox, the former
Vice-Speaker of the House of Lords of Great Britain delivered a lecture
dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in the hall of the greatest annual
international exhibition of book of Buenos Aires. Touching upon the
first crime committed against the mankind in early the 20th century,
he expressed sorrow that for political reasons, the Genocide has
not been properly recognized yet by some countries, including Great
Britain. However, Baroness was optimistic in the issue of international
recognition of the Genocide as well as expressed a hope that
Turkey will finally understand “how important it is just for the
Turk people to get rid of that weight on its conscience.” Events
dedicated to memory of the Armenian Genocide victims continued on
April 24: community representatives laid wreaths to the monument to
General San Martin, the national hero of Argentina, then a march to
the Armenian square of Buenos Aires took place where opening of a
monument dedicated to the anniversary of the Genocide took place. The
central event dedicated to the anniversary took place in the evening at
the Armenian Center of Buenos Aires the specially invited speaker of
which Baroness Caloline Cox was. RA Ambassador to Argentina Vladimir
Karmirshalian made a speech as well. The Argentinian press published
materials dedicated to the Armenian Genocide few days continuously. A
special program dedicated to the anniversary of the Genocide was
broadcast by the Argentinian Central “7th channel” on April 23.