“Norway and the Armenian Genocide” project kick-off event was held in the House of Literature in Oslo on Saturday, the Armenian Cultural Association in Norway reports.
The event started with a minute of silence remembering Vaghinak Grigoryan, a 12-year-old boy killed in Nagorno-Karabakh by large-scale offensive operation launched by the Azerbaijani army involving heavy artillery and helicopter gunships that shelled villages and towns.
A number of key experts in Norway participated in the event by presenting their recent research or analysis on the Armenian Genocide contextualizing the Norwegian position regarding the matter. Several interesting projects, books and analyses were presented to the audience, followed by a dynamic panel discussion. The list of speakers included famed veteran journalist, author and media personality Jahn Otto Johansen, who has recently published a book on the Armenian Genocide, Inger Marie Okkenhaug, a professor and author, who recently released her book on Philhantropist Bodil Biorn and the Armenian Genocide survivors, Sven-Erik Rise, the principle of Oslo Private Gymnasium and an Armenia enthusiast, and Lene Wetteland, expert on Russia and Armenia at the Norwegian Helsinki Committee.
The event was organized by a group of Armenian activists in Norway and funded by Fritt Ord (Freedom of Speech) foundation.
This year marks the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey of 1915-1923. The Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century, was planned and carried out by the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire in 1915. One and a half million Armenians were killed on their ancestral lands.
Events and initiatives marking the Centennial are being held around the world throughout 2015-2016. Leaders from around the world including French President Hollande and Russian President Putin gathered in capital of Armenia on April 24, 2015 to commemorate this event.
Over 25 various commemorative events have been held in Norway marking the centennial of the Armenian Genocide. Events on such a solid scale signal that the country and the generations of great explorer, scientist, humanist and an outstanding advocate for the rights for the Armenian people – Fridtjof Nansen, carry on his mission and demand that justice be served.
“Norway and the Armenian Genocide” project aims to raise awareness of Armenia and the Armenian Genocide among the Norwegian people and to contribute to the official Norwegian recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire. The project further wishes to help build bridges and bring the Armenian and Norwegian peoples and societies closer.
