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PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
AGBU Armenia Commemorates Armenian Genocide with Events at Arabkir
Children’s Center and Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan, Armenia
Yerevan – On April 23, 2009, the AGBU Scouts of Armenia organized a
commemoration ceremony on the occasion of the 94th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide at the AGBU Arabkir Children’s Center of Yerevan.
Prepared as a cultural evening to honor the memory of the 1.5 million
victims of the Armenian Genocide, the event began as scouts, their
parents and audience members lit candles in memory of the martyrs of
what is widely recognized as the first genocide of the twentieth
century. The program included a selection of poetry readings and songs.
Historian Edik Danielian spoke about the Armenian Genocide and the
rights of Armenians; his lecture was followed by a documentary about the
catastrophe of 1915. The event coincided with the visit of students from
the AGBU Nubarian School of Montevideo, Uruguay, and the diasporan
Armenian students were honored to participate in the event.
The next day, on April 24, a group of AGBU youths representing AGBU
scouts, AGBU Children’s Centers and AGBU Young Professionals of Yerevan
traveled to the Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd) to pay
tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Various AGBU members in Armenia, students of the AGBU Nubarian School of
Montevideo, and AGBU Armenian Representation staff formed a group at the
eternal flame, where they observed a moment of silence befitting the
solemn occasion. A memorial wreath was jointly laid by AGBU Central
Board member Yervant Zorian and AGBU Armenian Representation director
Ashot Ghazarian.
Established in 1906, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is the
world’s largest non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New
York City, AGBU () preserves and promotes the Armenian
identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs, annually touching the lives of some 400,000 Armenians on six
continents.