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ANTELIAS: Minute on 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

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  • ANTELIAS: Minute on 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

    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

    Minute on 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

    During the year 1915-1916, about 1.5 million Armenians were massacred and
    thousands more were displaced or deported from the Ottoman Empire in
    present-day Turkey. The "Armenian Diaspora" today, scattered in different
    parts of the world, represents the greatest effect of the genocide as more
    than eight million Armenians now live outside Armenia. Even after almost a
    century, the Armenian genocide still has serious implications for the
    Armenian people, as well as the international community. Although most of
    the survivors of the Armenian genocide have passed away, the Armenian people
    continue to demand recognition and reparation for the suffering and
    injustice inflicted upon their ancestors.

    The World Council of Churches (WCC) has addressed the issue of the Armenian
    genocide in international fora on several occasions. During the 1979 Session
    of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Commission of the
    Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) raised the question of the need for
    recognition of the Armenian genocide by the UN. The 6th Assembly of the WCC
    held in Vancouver, recognized the importance of the need to continue to
    address the effects of the Armenian genocide in appropriate contexts. A
    minute adopted at the Vancouver assembly stated, "The silence of the world
    community and deliberate efforts to deny even historical facts have been
    consistent sources of anguish and growing despair to the Armenian people,
    the Armenian churches and many others." The role of the WCC in "enabling the
    Armenian churches to speak out and work towards the recognition of the first
    genocide of the 20th century" was recognized by the Armenian churches over
    the years.

    Prior to the 10th Assembly of the WCC the Armenian churches reminded the WCC
    General Secretary of the historical reality that the 10th Assembly will be
    held on the threshold of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in
    2015. Requests have been made by the leaders of the Armenian churches for
    the WCC to initiate programmes to observe the 100th anniversary of the
    Armenian Genocide in appropriate ways.

    Therefore, the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches meeting in
    Busan, Republic of Korea, from 30 October to 8 November 2013, therefore
    requests the general secretary to:

    A. Organize in 2015, around the commemorative 100th anniversary date 24
    April 2015, an international conference in Geneva on the recognition of and
    reparation for the Armenian Genocide with the participation, among others,
    of WCC member churches, international organizations, jurists, historians and
    human rights defenders.;

    B. Organize an ecumenical prayer service commemorating the victims of
    the Armenian Genocide at the Cathedral of Geneva in conjunction with the
    international conference; and

    C. Invite member churches of the WCC to pray for the memory of the
    Armenian martyrs around the dates of the international conference and also
    for recognition of the Armenian Genocide.


    From: Baghdasarian
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