National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion

The Armenian Reporter | May 2, 2009InternationalThe 94th anniversary of the Armenian GenocideArmenians in Rome commemoratethe Armenian GenocideUnder the auspices of the ArmenianEmbassy in Rome, on April22 at the Casa della Memoria edella Storia (The House of Memoryand Story), the Armeniancommunity of Rome took partin the 94th anniversary commemorationceremony entitled,“Storie senza Storia: Gli Armeni.”(Stories with a story: The Armenians).Speaking at the ceremony wasone of Italy’s best known journalists,Marco Tozadin of La Stampanewspaper, who paid tribute tothe 1.5 million innocent soulswho perished during the ArmenianGenocide of 1915. fThousands gathered in front of the Arch of Triumph in Paris to pay tribute.Armenians commemoratethroughout FranceHundreds of commemorationceremonies took place throughoutFrance marking the 94th anniversaryof the Armenian Genocideof 1915.In Paris, on April 24, six thousandpeople gathered in front ofArch of Triumph on the ChampsElysées to pay tribute to the 1.5million Armenians who perishedin the first genocide of the 20thCentury. Many French politicalpersonalities, including AndreSantini French minister of publicservice, Catherine Vieu-Charier,deputy mayor of Paris, city councilors,mayors from surroundingtowns, state and political leaders,high ranking police officers,Argentinean-Armenianscommemorate April 24leaders and members of the Armeniancommunity took part inthe commemoration and paidhomage to the victims in frontof the Unknown Soldier’s flame.In the morning of April 24, areception was held at Paris’ CityHall with the participation of theMayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoeand other officials including leadersof the Armenian communityof Paris.Also on April 24, a requiemservice was held at Paris’ Hovhaness-MgrtichArmenian ApostolicChurch. At the statue of Komitasfound in Yerevan Park, hundredsof people gathered to rememberand demand justice. fAt Sourb Krikor Lusavoritch ArmenianApostolic Church in BeunosAires, Argentina, a requiemservice was conducted by ArchbishopKisag Muradyan dedicatedto the 94th anniversary of the ArmenianGenocide.Following the service, flowersand wreaths were placed at theGenocide memorial found in thecourtyard of the church.Close to a thousand Armeniansthen began walking alongArmenia Street. Argentina’s EducationMinister and president ofArgentina’s Human Rights Assemblydelivered speeches.The keynote speaker of theevening Ambassador VladimirKarmirshalian of the Armenianembassy.Later in the day, representativesof Armenian youth groupstook part in a torch rally and walkedtoward the Turkish embassy.The film Screamers, directed byCarla Garabedian was premieredat the Malbaya Cultural Center. fIn Romania, Armenians rememberThe Armenian Church of Bucharestheld a requiem service in thememory of the victims of thegenocide. Speeches were madeby Armenia’s ambassador to RomaniaYeghishe Sargsian, and thePrelate of the Armenian ApostolicChurch to Romania Bishop DirayrMardikian. Following the service,flowers and wreaths were placedat the Genocide memorial, composedof two khachkars, by theAmbassador, the Prelate and onbehalf of the Armenian Union ofRomania.Commemoration ceremonieswere conducted in other Romaniancities with Armenian communities.A few days before the commemorationon April 24, statementswere made in the two houses ofthe Romanian parliament. In thesenate, the statement was readby the president of the parliamentarycommittee on finances,industry and services and by thepresident of the Armenian Unionof Romania, Senator VarujanVosganian. In the parliament,vice-president of the ArmenianUnion of Romania and the leaderof the ethnic minorities faction inparliament, Varujan Pambuccianalso read statements in memoryof the victims of the ArmenianGenocide.fArmenian demonstrators subjected to police brutalityin Athens, authorities later apologizeDuring a demonstration organizedby Greece’s Armenian communityon April 24 demandingrecognition and justice for theArmenian Genocide of 1915, theGreek police, attempting to dispersethe protestors resorted toviolent measures.They used teargas against theArmenians, which was later publiclydenounced as anti-democratic.The young people in thecrowd fought back to open a corridortoward the Turkish Embassybut were beaten back by policebatons.After leaders of the Armeniancommunity appealed to the policeforces, they were allowed to advancetoward the embassy to passon a memorandum to the TurkishAmbassador.The protestors had begun theirrally from the Sintakma SquareGreek-Armeniancommunityleadersnegotiatingwith riot police.Photo: Azad OrGreek riotpolice use alevel of forcefor which theauthorities laterapologized.where the ARF Youth Federationhad organized an art exhibitionin memory of the victimsof the 1915 Genocide. Young andold alike, holding tricolor Armenianflags and Greek flags, withlarge banners marched towardthe Turkish Embassy. Whenthey arrived there, they saw thatthe embassy was blocked by armoredvehicles, manned by riotpolice with shields and batons.Following the clashes with thepolice, the Armenian communitysaid that police behavior towardpeaceful protestors, expressingtheir freedom of speech was unacceptable.The following day, Greekauthorities issued an apology tothe Armenian community. fOfficials of Ryde City, Australia mark the Armenian Genocide with members of the Armenian community.Ryde City, Australia, marks 94th anniversary ofArmenian GenocideOn Sunday, April 26, Ryde Cityjoined with Armenian-Australians,in commemorating the 94th anniversaryof the Armenian Genocideof 1915-1922.The commemoration, was held atMeadowbank War Memorial Parkin front of the Armenian GenocideMemorial. This 94th ArmenianGenocide wreath laying ceremonywas organized by the RydeCity Council. This is the fourthyear that the ceremony was heldhere, with the active participationof the Armenian Genocide CommemorativeCommittee, DenistonEast Ararat Scouts, Ryde MulticulturalCenter and the ArmenianCommunity.The Master of Ceremony, CouncilorSarkis Yedelian OAM, DeputyMayor of City of Ryde, first acknowledgedand paid respect tomany clans of the Eora nation onwhose traditional land the memorialhas been erected and theceremony took place. Among themany participants were Clr. VicTagg, Mayor of Ryde, ArchbishopAghan Baliozian Primate of ArmenianApostolic Church of Australiaand New Zealand, Clr. Ivan Petch,Clr. Artin Etmekdjian, Ms. MaxineMckew Federal Member for Bennelong,Mr. Anthony Roberts MP,Member for Lane Cove, Mr. VictorDominello MP member for Ryde,descendants of Genocide survivors,members of the ArmenianNational Committee and representativesof various communityorganizations, as well as DenistonEast Ararat Scouts.For the 90th anniversary, onApril 12, 2005, through the initiativeof Clr. Yedelian, the City ofRyde unanimously passed a resolutioncondemning the ArmenianGenocide. Ryde Council made historyby becoming first City Councilin Australia to do so. f