Armenians In Lviv Commemorate Genocide Anniversary

According to the organizers of the commemoration, various European countries, including Russia, were interfering in the internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century, under the pretext of defending the interests of the country’s Christian population. This international policy caused the mass slaughter of over 2 million Armenians, who constituted the predominant majority in the country. The activities opened with a memorial service in the Armenian church, after which Fr. Georgian analyzed the tragic events and made a concluding statement. In addition, documentary photographs depicting the horror of the tragedy were on exhibit on the church walls. The memorial ceremony continued with a procession of the Armenian community to the monument to Taras Shevchenko, a Ukrainian national hero, in the city center, where some speeches on the genocide were delivered. The demonstrators carried Ukrainian and Armenian national flags and a banner saying “The Armenian genocide of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire must be recognized by the civilized world. The executioners of 2 million victims must be condemned.” A wreath with the inscription “A rostrum of freedom: to Taras Shevchenko on the day of memory of the Armenian genocide” was also laid at the Shevchenko monument, after which some poetry was recited. The aim of this activity, which was held in Lviv for the first time, was to draw the attention of the general public to the tragedy, which many Ukrainians are still unaware of. The organizers plan to conduct similar activities in the future, hoping to achieve even a greater response.