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PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.ArmenianOrthodoxChurch.org/
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
'WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE SOLIDARITY OF SWISS PEOPLE FOR
THEIR SOLIDARITY DURING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE', SAID ARAM I
On Sunday 22 April 2013, His Holiness Aram I organzed a special reception in
honor of the President of the Federation of Protestant Churches in
Switzerland Dr. Gottfried Locher at the Main Hall of the Catholicosate.
Catholicos Aram I had invited Dr. Locher and Rev. Serge Fornerod the Chief
Officer for Ecumenical and International relations from Switzerland, to
express personally his deep appreciation for the solidarity of the Swiss
people and churches during and after the Genocide. In the presence of the
local guest that included the Armenian and Arabic speaking Evangelical
communities, Armenian Government Ministers, Parliamentarians, members of
the Executive Council of the Catholicosate, and representatives of civil
society organizations.
In his speech the Catholicos said, "During the tragic moments of our
history, you accompanied our people by raising funds and taking care of the
orphans, widows and the blind in Cilicia, Syria, Greece and Lebanon. You
provided scholarships to our youth so that they begin reorganizing their
lives. Our strong ties through ecumenical dialogues, the Swiss-Armenian
Foundation ARMENOFAS and advocacy will continue. We shall also continue
working with our Armenian Evangelical Church through our common projects the
Azounieh hospital and CAHL School for the Blind". His Holiness continued,
"Today we are on the eve of 24 April remembering the memory of our victims
and 2013, the eve of the 100th Anniversary commemorations. We are grateful
that the Protestant Churches in Switzerland did not remain indifferent to
those inhuman acts. While thanking the Swiss Churches for their defense of
Human Rights and the recognition of our Genocide, I ask the international
community not only recognize our Genocide but also act upon our demands for
reparation and compensation." At the end of his speech, His Holiness Aram I
decorated Dr. Gottfried Locher with the insigne "Order of Knights of
Cilicia."
In thanking His Holiness Aram I, Dr. Gottfried Locher said, "Your Holiness,
through this decoration you have honored our Churches and our people. Our
young generation remembers the Armenian Genocide through the stories told by
their grand-parents about their great grand-parents how they collected
funds, or, went to Turkey as volunteers to help the victims of the Armenian
Genocide. We shall continue to stand by the Armenian people and their
Cause."
On Sunday morning Dr. Gottfried Locher and the members of the ARMENOFAS
Board attended the Holy Litturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in
Antelias.
##
Photos: http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos819.htm
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos820.htm
****
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kxlVxr_n44
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.ArmenianOrthodoxChurch.org/
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
'WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE SOLIDARITY OF SWISS PEOPLE FOR
THEIR SOLIDARITY DURING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE', SAID ARAM I
On Sunday 22 April 2013, His Holiness Aram I organzed a special reception in
honor of the President of the Federation of Protestant Churches in
Switzerland Dr. Gottfried Locher at the Main Hall of the Catholicosate.
Catholicos Aram I had invited Dr. Locher and Rev. Serge Fornerod the Chief
Officer for Ecumenical and International relations from Switzerland, to
express personally his deep appreciation for the solidarity of the Swiss
people and churches during and after the Genocide. In the presence of the
local guest that included the Armenian and Arabic speaking Evangelical
communities, Armenian Government Ministers, Parliamentarians, members of
the Executive Council of the Catholicosate, and representatives of civil
society organizations.
In his speech the Catholicos said, "During the tragic moments of our
history, you accompanied our people by raising funds and taking care of the
orphans, widows and the blind in Cilicia, Syria, Greece and Lebanon. You
provided scholarships to our youth so that they begin reorganizing their
lives. Our strong ties through ecumenical dialogues, the Swiss-Armenian
Foundation ARMENOFAS and advocacy will continue. We shall also continue
working with our Armenian Evangelical Church through our common projects the
Azounieh hospital and CAHL School for the Blind". His Holiness continued,
"Today we are on the eve of 24 April remembering the memory of our victims
and 2013, the eve of the 100th Anniversary commemorations. We are grateful
that the Protestant Churches in Switzerland did not remain indifferent to
those inhuman acts. While thanking the Swiss Churches for their defense of
Human Rights and the recognition of our Genocide, I ask the international
community not only recognize our Genocide but also act upon our demands for
reparation and compensation." At the end of his speech, His Holiness Aram I
decorated Dr. Gottfried Locher with the insigne "Order of Knights of
Cilicia."
In thanking His Holiness Aram I, Dr. Gottfried Locher said, "Your Holiness,
through this decoration you have honored our Churches and our people. Our
young generation remembers the Armenian Genocide through the stories told by
their grand-parents about their great grand-parents how they collected
funds, or, went to Turkey as volunteers to help the victims of the Armenian
Genocide. We shall continue to stand by the Armenian people and their
Cause."
On Sunday morning Dr. Gottfried Locher and the members of the ARMENOFAS
Board attended the Holy Litturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in
Antelias.
##
Photos: http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos819.htm
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos820.htm
****
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kxlVxr_n44