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ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE OF CANADA
APRIL 20, 2015
CONTACT: DARON KESKINIAN
TELEPHONE: 416-670-7965
E-MAIL: [email protected]
-- THOUSANDS OF TORONTONIANS COMMEMORATE THE CENTENARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE --
On Sunday, April 19, 2015 over 5000 Torontonians commemorated the centenary
of the Armenian Genocide. The event honoured the victims of the Armenian
Genocide, and celebrated a people's survival. This historic event took
place at Queens Park and all levels of government were represented. A
number of passionate speeches were delivered to a large and diverse crowd.
Premier Kathleen Wynne called the Armenian Genocide `...a terrible
tragedy...and a dark moment in human history.' She went on to say that
`...the passage of a century has not diminished the horror of these events,
nor has it diminished the importance of recognizing the atrocity in Armenia
as genocide.' Defence Minister Jason Kenney and Toronto Mayor John Tory
among other political representatives, addressed the crowd, and
Armenian-Canadian director Atom Egoyan delivered an inspiring keynote
address. Members of parliament, foreign diplomats, and Consul Generals of
Germany, Lebanon, Argentina, and Cyprus were all present.
Those in attendance were asked to support Motion M-587 which will be
introduced and voted on very shortly in the Canadian House of Commons. When
adopted, the motion will recognize April as Genocide Remembrance,
Condemnation and Prevention month (visit emailmp.com)
Following the commemoration, supporters took to the streets together, and
marched to raise awareness and prevent future genocides. The march,
organized by the Armenian community on the event of the centennial of the
Armenian Genocide, also included Jewish, Ukrainian, Assyrian, Pontian,
Kurdish, and Rwandan communities, all who have suffered genocides during
the past 100 years.
The march was led by a group of boy scouts representing the Georgetown
boys, a group of Armenian orphans who were given shelter by Canada in 1923.
Jewish, Ukrainian, Assyrian, Pontian, Kurdish, and Rwandan communities all
joined the thousands-strong march. The procession ended at the Metropolitan
United Church where an Ecumenical church service was led by the Archbishop
of the Toronto Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Thomas Collins.
Today's Unity March comes just a week after Pope Francis called the
slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians `Genocide' and called on Turkey to take
responsibility for its actions. Several other events, including a sold-out
Toronto Symphony Orchestra concert presenting "Sounds of Armenia", are
planned locally and across the country leading up to the Centennial of the
Armenian Genocide, commemorated internationally on Friday, April 24th.
The Armenian Genocide, which began on April 24, 1915, was the planned
extermination of a million and half Armenians at the hands of Ottoman
Turkey. More than two million Armenians were forcibly taken from their
homes and villages, men drafted into and murdered in the Ottoman Turkish
army, and women, children and the elderly driven into the Syrian deserts
where they were starved, beaten, raped, drowned, or burnt alive. Survivors
ended up in orphanages and refugee camps across the Middle East and the
West. 150 of the genocide orphans were brought to Canada starting in 1923
in what became known as Canada's Noble Experiment.
Images: https://docs.google.com/folderview?id=0B8diPPYu16xlZjZtb2FTRHhHVmc&usp=doc slist_api
Photo Credits: Ishkhan Ghazarian
Image 1 Caption: Thousands march united along Queen St. in downtown
Toronto
Image 2 Caption: Toronto Mayor John Tory passing on his message on the
Genocide Centennial, accompanied by members of Toronto City Council; the
mayor reaffirmed his promise to erect a public monument in memory of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide
Image 3 Caption: From left to right in the front row, Armenian National
Committee of Toronto member Mark Atikian, His Worship Toronto Mayor John
Tory, the Hon. Jason Kenney - Canadian Minister of National Defence, John
Carmichael - Canadian Member of Parliament, Soo Wong - Ontario Member of
Provincial Parliament, and the Hon. Kathleen Wynne - Premier of Ontario
Image 4 Caption: Standing room only at the Metropolitan United Church in
Toronto where the ecumenical church service was held led by Thomas Cardinal
Collins, Archbishop of Toronto
Armenian Article: http://www.horizonweekly.ca/news/details/65998
APRIL 20, 2015
CONTACT: DARON KESKINIAN
TELEPHONE: 416-670-7965
E-MAIL: [email protected]
-- THOUSANDS OF TORONTONIANS COMMEMORATE THE CENTENARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE --
On Sunday, April 19, 2015 over 5000 Torontonians commemorated the centenary
of the Armenian Genocide. The event honoured the victims of the Armenian
Genocide, and celebrated a people's survival. This historic event took
place at Queens Park and all levels of government were represented. A
number of passionate speeches were delivered to a large and diverse crowd.
Premier Kathleen Wynne called the Armenian Genocide `...a terrible
tragedy...and a dark moment in human history.' She went on to say that
`...the passage of a century has not diminished the horror of these events,
nor has it diminished the importance of recognizing the atrocity in Armenia
as genocide.' Defence Minister Jason Kenney and Toronto Mayor John Tory
among other political representatives, addressed the crowd, and
Armenian-Canadian director Atom Egoyan delivered an inspiring keynote
address. Members of parliament, foreign diplomats, and Consul Generals of
Germany, Lebanon, Argentina, and Cyprus were all present.
Those in attendance were asked to support Motion M-587 which will be
introduced and voted on very shortly in the Canadian House of Commons. When
adopted, the motion will recognize April as Genocide Remembrance,
Condemnation and Prevention month (visit emailmp.com)
Following the commemoration, supporters took to the streets together, and
marched to raise awareness and prevent future genocides. The march,
organized by the Armenian community on the event of the centennial of the
Armenian Genocide, also included Jewish, Ukrainian, Assyrian, Pontian,
Kurdish, and Rwandan communities, all who have suffered genocides during
the past 100 years.
The march was led by a group of boy scouts representing the Georgetown
boys, a group of Armenian orphans who were given shelter by Canada in 1923.
Jewish, Ukrainian, Assyrian, Pontian, Kurdish, and Rwandan communities all
joined the thousands-strong march. The procession ended at the Metropolitan
United Church where an Ecumenical church service was led by the Archbishop
of the Toronto Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Thomas Collins.
Today's Unity March comes just a week after Pope Francis called the
slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians `Genocide' and called on Turkey to take
responsibility for its actions. Several other events, including a sold-out
Toronto Symphony Orchestra concert presenting "Sounds of Armenia", are
planned locally and across the country leading up to the Centennial of the
Armenian Genocide, commemorated internationally on Friday, April 24th.
The Armenian Genocide, which began on April 24, 1915, was the planned
extermination of a million and half Armenians at the hands of Ottoman
Turkey. More than two million Armenians were forcibly taken from their
homes and villages, men drafted into and murdered in the Ottoman Turkish
army, and women, children and the elderly driven into the Syrian deserts
where they were starved, beaten, raped, drowned, or burnt alive. Survivors
ended up in orphanages and refugee camps across the Middle East and the
West. 150 of the genocide orphans were brought to Canada starting in 1923
in what became known as Canada's Noble Experiment.
Images: https://docs.google.com/folderview?id=0B8diPPYu16xlZjZtb2FTRHhHVmc&usp=doc slist_api
Photo Credits: Ishkhan Ghazarian
Image 1 Caption: Thousands march united along Queen St. in downtown
Toronto
Image 2 Caption: Toronto Mayor John Tory passing on his message on the
Genocide Centennial, accompanied by members of Toronto City Council; the
mayor reaffirmed his promise to erect a public monument in memory of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide
Image 3 Caption: From left to right in the front row, Armenian National
Committee of Toronto member Mark Atikian, His Worship Toronto Mayor John
Tory, the Hon. Jason Kenney - Canadian Minister of National Defence, John
Carmichael - Canadian Member of Parliament, Soo Wong - Ontario Member of
Provincial Parliament, and the Hon. Kathleen Wynne - Premier of Ontario
Image 4 Caption: Standing room only at the Metropolitan United Church in
Toronto where the ecumenical church service was held led by Thomas Cardinal
Collins, Archbishop of Toronto
Armenian Article: http://www.horizonweekly.ca/news/details/65998