PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:
April 24: One and a Half Million Man March
This year, 1.5 Armenians will walk to the Genocide Memorial Monument in
Yerevan, Armenia, in memory of the 1.5 million Armenian victims of the first
Genocide of the 20th century.
In 1915, by official decree, the government of the Ottoman Empire massacred
and deported its own Armenian citizens. The survivors and their descendants
make up the present day Republic of Armenia, and the Armenian Diaspora.
This march of survivors, 90 years later, will take place just 50 kilometers
from the Armenian-Turkish border — the only closed border in all of Europe.
“The April 24 march to the Genocide Memorial each year serves as a reminder
of the death marches. On this year, we call on 1.5 million of our people to
participate in that emotional and grave walk. Such a massive wave of people
will symbolize the magnitude of the crime and the gravity of the act of
genocide. It will make our call for justice and recognition heard even
louder as the world is wondering whether Turkey is able to come to terms
with its history, and move on,² explained Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.
³April 24, 2005, is the opportunity for Armenians to walk to
Tsitsernakaberd, and other memorials around the country and the world, and
serve as living reminder of the imperative to denounce such extreme
violations of human rights.²
This year takes on added significance as it coincides with Turkey’s efforts
to begin accession talks to join the European Union by meeting European
standards. Genocide recognition is no longer a Turkish-Armenian issue, but a
universal issue and must be reckoned with. Further, this is also the year
when the UN High level Panel has noted that genocide continues to be a
threat, even at the beginning of the 21st century. As such, the worldwide
and mass commemoration of the Armenian Genocide 90 years later, is as much
about condemnation and prevention, as it is about remembrance.