National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion
National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion
National, International, Armenia, and Community News and Opinion
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The <strong>Armenia</strong>n Reporter | May 2, 2009<strong>International</strong>The 94th anniversary of the <strong>Armenia</strong>n Genocide<strong>Armenia</strong>ns in Rome commemoratethe <strong>Armenia</strong>n GenocideUnder the auspices of the <strong>Armenia</strong>nEmbassy in Rome, on April22 at the Casa della Memoria edella Storia (The House of Memory<strong>and</strong> Story), the <strong>Armenia</strong>ncommunity of Rome took partin the 94th anniversary commemorationceremony entitled,“Storie senza Storia: Gli Armeni.”(Stories with a story: The <strong>Armenia</strong>ns).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 <strong>Armenia</strong>nGenocide of 1915. fThous<strong>and</strong>s gathered in front of the Arch of Triumph in Paris to pay tribute.<strong>Armenia</strong>ns commemoratethroughout FranceHundreds of commemorationceremonies took place throughoutFrance marking the 94th anniversaryof the <strong>Armenia</strong>n Genocideof 1915.In Paris, on April 24, six thous<strong>and</strong>people gathered in front ofArch of Triumph on the ChampsElysées to pay tribute to the 1.5million <strong>Armenia</strong>ns 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 <strong>and</strong> political leaders,high ranking police officers,Argentinean-<strong>Armenia</strong>nscommemorate April 24leaders <strong>and</strong> members of the <strong>Armenia</strong>ncommunity took part inthe commemoration <strong>and</strong> 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 Bertr<strong>and</strong> Delanoe<strong>and</strong> other officials including leadersof the <strong>Armenia</strong>n communityof Paris.Also on April 24, a requiemservice was held at Paris’ Hovhaness-Mgrtich<strong>Armenia</strong>n ApostolicChurch. At the statue of Komitasfound in Yerevan Park, hundredsof people gathered to remember<strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong> justice. fAt Sourb Krikor Lusavoritch <strong>Armenia</strong>nApostolic Church in BeunosAires, Argentina, a requiemservice was conducted by ArchbishopKisag Muradyan dedicatedto the 94th anniversary of the <strong>Armenia</strong>nGenocide.Following the service, flowers<strong>and</strong> wreaths were placed at theGenocide memorial found in thecourtyard of the church.Close to a thous<strong>and</strong> <strong>Armenia</strong>nsthen began walking along<strong>Armenia</strong> Street. Argentina’s EducationMinister <strong>and</strong> president ofArgentina’s Human Rights Assemblydelivered speeches.The keynote speaker of theevening Ambassador VladimirKarmirshalian of the <strong>Armenia</strong>nembassy.Later in the day, representativesof <strong>Armenia</strong>n youth groupstook part in a torch rally <strong>and</strong> walkedtoward the Turkish embassy.The film Screamers, directed byCarla Garabedian was premieredat the Malbaya Cultural Center. fIn Romania, <strong>Armenia</strong>ns rememberThe <strong>Armenia</strong>n Church of Bucharestheld a requiem service in thememory of the victims of thegenocide. Speeches were madeby <strong>Armenia</strong>’s ambassador to RomaniaYeghishe Sargsian, <strong>and</strong> thePrelate of the <strong>Armenia</strong>n ApostolicChurch to Romania Bishop DirayrMardikian. Following the service,flowers <strong>and</strong> wreaths were placedat the Genocide memorial, composedof two khachkars, by theAmbassador, the Prelate <strong>and</strong> onbehalf of the <strong>Armenia</strong>n Union ofRomania.Commemoration ceremonieswere conducted in other Romaniancities with <strong>Armenia</strong>n 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 <strong>and</strong> services <strong>and</strong> by thepresident of the <strong>Armenia</strong>n Unionof Romania, Senator VarujanVosganian. In the parliament,vice-president of the <strong>Armenia</strong>nUnion of Romania <strong>and</strong> the leaderof the ethnic minorities faction inparliament, Varujan Pambuccianalso read statements in memoryof the victims of the <strong>Armenia</strong>nGenocide.f<strong>Armenia</strong>n demonstrators subjected to police brutalityin Athens, authorities later apologizeDuring a demonstration organizedby Greece’s <strong>Armenia</strong>n communityon April 24 dem<strong>and</strong>ingrecognition <strong>and</strong> justice for the<strong>Armenia</strong>n Genocide of 1915, theGreek police, attempting to dispersethe protestors resorted toviolent measures.They used teargas against the<strong>Armenia</strong>ns, 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 <strong>Armenia</strong>ncommunity appealed to the policeforces, they were allowed to advancetoward the embassy to passon a memor<strong>and</strong>um to the TurkishAmbassador.The protestors had begun theirrally from the Sintakma SquareGreek-<strong>Armenia</strong>ncommunityleadersnegotiatingwith 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 <strong>and</strong>old alike, holding tricolor <strong>Armenia</strong>nflags <strong>and</strong> Greek flags, withlarge banners marched towardthe Turkish Embassy. Whenthey arrived there, they saw thatthe embassy was blocked by armoredvehicles, manned by riotpolice with shields <strong>and</strong> batons.Following the clashes with thepolice, the <strong>Armenia</strong>n communitysaid that police behavior towardpeaceful protestors, expressingtheir freedom of speech was unacceptable.The following day, Greekauthorities issued an apology tothe <strong>Armenia</strong>n community. fOfficials of Ryde City, Australia mark the <strong>Armenia</strong>n Genocide with members of the <strong>Armenia</strong>n community.Ryde City, Australia, marks 94th anniversary of<strong>Armenia</strong>n GenocideOn Sunday, April 26, Ryde Cityjoined with <strong>Armenia</strong>n-Australians,in commemorating the 94th anniversaryof the <strong>Armenia</strong>n Genocideof 1915-1922.The commemoration, was held atMeadowbank War Memorial Parkin front of the <strong>Armenia</strong>n GenocideMemorial. This 94th <strong>Armenia</strong>nGenocide wreath laying ceremonywas organized by the RydeCity Council. This is the fourthyear that the ceremony was heldhere, with the active participationof the <strong>Armenia</strong>n Genocide CommemorativeCommittee, DenistonEast Ararat Scouts, Ryde MulticulturalCenter <strong>and</strong> the <strong>Armenia</strong>n<strong>Community</strong>.The Master of Ceremony, CouncilorSarkis Yedelian OAM, DeputyMayor of City of Ryde, first acknowledged<strong>and</strong> paid respect tomany clans of the Eora nation onwhose traditional l<strong>and</strong> the memorialhas been erected <strong>and</strong> theceremony took place. Among themany participants were Clr. VicTagg, Mayor of Ryde, ArchbishopAghan Baliozian Primate of <strong>Armenia</strong>nApostolic Church of Australia<strong>and</strong> New Zeal<strong>and</strong>, 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 <strong>Armenia</strong>n<strong>National</strong> Committee <strong>and</strong> 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 <strong>Armenia</strong>nGenocide. Ryde Council made historyby becoming first City Councilin Australia to do so. f