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Wales-Armenia Solidarity Press Release

Screaming Turkish protesters fail to disrupt consecration of the
Armenian Genocide Monument in Wales

At Cardiff, Wales, yesterday, the unveiling and consecration of the
Welsh National Monument to the Armenian Genocide went ahead
successfully despite attempts by screaming Turks to disrupt the
Requiem, which was led by Bishop Nathan Hovhannissian and the St
Sarkis Church Choir, London. The monument, the first on public land in
the UK, was unveiled by Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Presiding Officer of
the National Assembly of Wales and His Excellency Dr Vahe Gabrielyan,
Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the UK. Wreaths were laid in
memory of the Armenian and Assyrian victims of the 1915 Genocide.

The event was followed by an afternoon of speeches and Welsh and
Armenian music, poetry and dancing. Permission to erect the beautiful
Stone Cross monument, a veritable Armenian Khatchkar, was granted by
the United Nations Association Wales on land owned by the National
Assembly of Wales. The small Welsh-Armenian community, under the
leadership of John Torosyan (Wales-Armenia Solidarity chairman), were
responsible for all the arrangements to achieve the realisation of
this project. The event organising team comprised of members of the
ever-growing lobbying coalition initiated by Armenia Solidarity,
British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group and Nor Serount
Cultural Association.

The Assyrian Bishop, Khoshaba Guorges from the Ancient Churches of the
East, also prayed and addressed the meeting. His participation was in
recognition by Armenians of the hundreds of thousands of Assyrians
also killed in the 1915 Genocide.

Speeches were delivered by His Excellency Ambassador Gabrielyan, as
well as Canon Patrick Thomas and Mike Joseph.

Music was provided by the Welsh choirs Côr Aelwyd Hamdden and Côr
Cochion. The Akhtamar Dance group provided Armenian folk dancing,
directed by Arsen Zakaryan, and a solo dance performance by Dalila
Heath. This was followed by a Duduk performance of `Dleyaman’,
performed by Karapet Baljian and Ara Petrossian. Finally, Armenian
poetry was recited by Teni Nersessian.

At the end of the afternoon the plight of the Armenians of Iraq was
highlighted by Isobel Manook. An appeal was made for Iraqi and other
interested Armenians to contact Armenia Solidarity
(eilian@nant.wanadoo.co.uk) to co-ordinate lobbying efforts on their
behalf.

The Presiding Officer’s speech was read by the MC, The director of the
Welsh Centre for International Affairs, Stephen Thomas (please see the
transcript of the speech below).