YEREVAN. – The first winner of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity Marguerite Barankitse from Burundi on Saturday visited the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex to honor memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

She was accompanied by the director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan and the head of the Aurora initiative Arman Jilavyan. Marguerite Barankitse laid flowers at the eternal flame in memory of the innocent victims of the first genocide of the 20th century. She planted a tree in the alley and visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, where a special hall dedicated to Aurora Mardiganian was opened.

Asked by the Armenian News – NEWS.am what she wants to say to all those who still deny the fact of the Armenian Genocide, she said to deny the Genocide is a very big mistake. According to her, it is very important to have compassion: if Armenians have suffered from genocide, and many say that it was not, this is a very, very big mistake. The Armenian Genocide must compel humanity to realize: this should not happen again.

There is an impression, she continued, already bursting into tears from the photos she saw and the stories she heard, that people could not understand that these crimes were committed.

Marguerite Barankitse said she wants to congratulate the Armenian people, who to some extent managed to reconcile themselves with their own history, daring to turn this cruel page of history over. She especially noted the dignity of Armenian women. 

“And this inspires hope for my country – Burundi, which is now struggling between the past, the present and the future, and the international community in no way reacts to this,” she concluded.

At the end of the visit, she left a note in the guest book saying she is grateful to the proud Armenian people for their courage.

Marguerite Barankitse from REMA Hospital in Burundi saved thousands of lives and cared for orphans and refugees during the Civil War. The award to the winner was handed over by Hollywood actor George Clooney.