On December 9, Kyiv hosted the opening ceremony and blessing of the memorial of the Armenian cross-stone (khachkar) dedicated to the innocent victims of the Armenian and Ukrainian peoples.
The cross-stone was blessed by the Head of Ukrainian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop Markos Hovhannisyan,according to the“Union of Armenians of Ukraine.”
The opening ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Armenia to Ukraine Andranik Manukyan, Head of Holosiyivska District State Administration Natalia Bondar, head of the Armenian community of Kyiv Norik Gevorgyan, MPs of Ukraine, members of Kyiv City Council, representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches, prominent public figures of Kyiv.
Executive Director of the Union of Armenians of Ukraine David Mkrtchyan conveyed the greeting words of the Chairman Vilena Shatvoryan to participants.
During the ceremony, the Order “Active Members of the Diaspora” of the Union of Armenians of Ukraine was conferred on a board member of the Armenian Diaspora of Holosiyivski district of Kyiv, Araik Khachatryan.
Head of Holosiyivska District State Administration of Kyiv Natalia Bondar and deputies of Kyiv City Council and public figures of the capital were awarded diplomas of the Union of Armenians of Ukraine.
The project formounting of cross stones was implemented by the Union of Armenians of Ukraine, the Armenian Diaspora of Holosiyivski district of Kyiv, the Embassy of Armenia in Ukraine, Ukrainian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and civic organizations of Kyiv.
In November 2010, the art of creating cross stones was put on the UNESCO representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.