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Armenians Commemorate 105th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide
Armenians and the worldwide Armenian diaspora commemorate today, April 24, the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, also known as Medz Yeghern (Մեծ Եղեռն) – the first horrendous crime against humanity in the 20th century. On this day in 1915, hundreds of Armenian intellectuals were rounded up, arrested and later executed.
However, due to the pandemic, people are not able to visit the memorial of the Genocide and instead are showing their respect in digital or non-traditional ways.
The government organized a big screen at the memorial, allowing people to send free SMS on a symbolical phone number, 1915, with their name and surname, which will be then shown on the screen, leaving the impression they have visited the memorial and laid a flower. On the eve of the day of the memorial, a huge light illuminated the sky of Yerevan, visible from any corner of the city so people could see it from their windows and not need to go to the memorial.
This is an exceptional moment for Armenians because even during Soviet times, regardless of permission, Armenians marched to the memorial, which was built by the Soviets because of the unprecedented pressure from Soviet Armenians to do so.
Such monuments have been built in all the cities where there are big Armenian compact communities and April 24 is the most symbolical day for all Armenians: a day of solidarity where, regardless of political views and other differences, all Armenians unite and march to the memorial from early morning to late night. This year, the government has urged the citizens not to march to the memorial and most respected the request in light of the pandemic. The Armenian diaspora will not march to their memorials either: instead they are donating money to fight the pandemic.
By Karen Tovmasyan
24 April 2020 19:04