On December 9, a number of events dedicated to the International Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide were held in Yerevan.

Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered remarks at the event dedicated to the International Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide within the scope of which the results of the essay competition on “Prevention of Genocide” organised by the Foreign Ministry of Armenia and the UN Office in Armenia were summarised.

Arthur Aghajanyan, Nane Mamajanyan and Asya Gasparyan, winners of the competition were awarded certificates and remuneration whereas Martin Mirzoyan and Anahit Khazakhetsyan were given encouragement prizes.

The winners of the competition touched upon genocides, their motives and consequences, implementation of possible actions aimed at prevention of it since the adoption of the International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

In his speech Minister Mnatsakanyan noted in particular: “Armenia has consistently raised the issue of importance and priority of early prevention which require sufficient capacity to detect, investigate and respond to early warning signs of situations and if not resolved, it can lead to uncontrolled deterioration, up to mass crimes. Early prevention means to take early actions, the core of which is awareness. Prevention begins at the national level.”

Suren Manukyan, Chair of the Department of Genocide Studies of the Yerevan State University, Heads of Diplomatic Service and representatives of international organizations accredited in Armenia participated in the event.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan together with the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex and paid tribute to the memory of holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

The Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by the Advisers to the Foreign Minister paid tribute to the Holocaust and Genocide Victims Monument, the Yazidi innocent Victims Memorial and to the memory of the innocent Assyrian victims of 1915.

On the same day, within the framework of the events dedicated to the International Day of the Commemoration and Dignity of Victims of Genocide, Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered opening remarks during the concert organized by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU).