Society

Event dedicated to 27th anniversary of pogroms in Sumgait held in Lebanon

On March 1, Holy Mass was served in St. Nishan Armenian-Orthodox Church of Beirut and memorial service took place in commemoration of Armenian victims of Sumgait massacres on February 27-29, 1988.

Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon Ashot Kocharian, Permanent representative of Nagorno-Karabakh in the Middle East, representatives of Lebanese Central body for Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, leaders of Armenian parties and National structures, parliamentarians, social and public figures, journalists took part at the event.

In his speech the Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon bishop Shahe Panosyan spoke about inhumane crime committed against Armenian population of Sumgait. Representative of Lebanese Central body for Centennial of the Armenian Genocide Rafayel Umudyan and Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon Ashot Kocharian also delivered speeches.

Rafayel Umudyan mentioned that Sumgait massacres reveal Armenian Genocide and impunity as well as lack of international condemnation that may result in new massacres and ethnic cleansing nowadays.

In his speech Ambassador Kocharian mentioned that massacres against the Armenian population perpetrated 27 years ago in Sumgait were the first expression of the policy of ethnic cleansing in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Regarding Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Ambassador mentioned that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh had to defend their right to life at the cost of their blood in the war unleashed against them. Ambassador also mentioned that today the Azerbaijani authorities continue their aggressive and destructive policy and anti-Armenian propaganda through bellicose statements, subversive acts along the border, violation of ceasefire regime and distortion of historic facts. Ambassador emphasized with confidence that Homeland could be strengthened and all our patriotic and national dreams and projects could come true only through united will and collective strength.
Afterwards, Representatives of the Embassy of Armenia in Lebanon and Lebanese Central body for Centennial of the Armenian Genocide laid the wreath in front of the situated in the garden of St. Nishan Armenian-Orthodox Church cross-stone (khachqar), dedicated to the memory of the victims of Sumgait.

On the same day the Holy Divine Liturgy, dedicated to the memory of the victims of Sumgait massacres, was served at the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia under the presidency of His Holiness Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Aram I.

Show More
Back to top button