The delegation, led by by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial today accompanied Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Allen Simonyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to the US Lilit Makunts and US Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy.
Edita Gzoyan, Deputy Scientific Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, briefed the delegation the history of the three khachkars placed in the Tsitsernakaberd area in memory of the Armenians who died in the massacres organized by the Azerbaijani government in the cities of Sumgait, Kirovabad (Gandzak), and Baku.
She also told the stories of the five freedom fighters buried in front of the Wall of Remembrance (Hushapat) killed during the Artsakh war, stressing that what happened was a continuation of the Armenian Genocide. She also referred to the historical and legal aspects of the Artsakh issue, presenting Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian actions and propaganda.
Mrs. Pelosi laid a wreath at the Genocide Monument; the members of the American delegation then laid flowers at the Eternal Fire and observed a minute’s silence in memory of the innocent martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.
The guests, accompanied by Edita Gzoyan, also toured the Armenian Genocide Museum and got acquainted with the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Mrs. Pelosi paid special attention to the exhibition opened on the occasion of her visit, which presented the American Near East Relief organization’s activities in the Middle East as well as the statements, decisions and resolutions adopted by various US state authorities concerning the Armenian Genocide. Edita Gzoyan also noted that hundreds of thousands of Armenians, as well as thousands of other needy people in the Middle East were saved thanks to the efforts made by the American Near East Relief aid organization in the Middle East and the American government and people’s humanitarian efforts.
Mrs. Pelosi left a note in the Memory Book for honored guests.
Edita Gzoyan presented Mrs. Pelosi with books with articles on the Armenian massacres and the Armenian Genocide published in the American press (“The Boston Daily Globe”, “The New York Times”, “The Christian Science Monitor”, “The Washington Post”) during 1890-1922.
Nancy Pelosi was awarded the “Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute” Foundation’s “Henry Morgenthau” commemorative medal for her efforts in the Armenian Genocide recognition.
