The global forum entitled “Against the Crime of Genocide” kicked off this morning in Yerevan with the participation of more than 600 participants from nearly 50 countries around the world.

According to Hayern Aysor, the conference on “International Legal Issues on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide and Liability” also kicked off and is moderated by RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan.

Nerses Bedros XIX Catholicos Patriarch of the Great House of Cilicia is also attending the conference.

The keynote speakers are President of the RA Constitutional Court and President of the Pan-Armenian Conference of Lawyers Gagik Harutyunyan; President of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, academician Radik Martirosyan; RA Minister of Justice Hovhannes Manukyan; President of the Union of Armenians of Russia and the World Armenian Congress Ara Abrahamyan and Dean of the Faculty of Law at Yerevan State University, Professor Gagik Ghazinyan.

RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan greeted the gathered and expressed gratitude for participating in the third pan-Armenian international forum of lawyers being organized as part of the global forum entitled “Against the Crime of Genocide”.

In her speech, the RA Minister of Diaspora emphasized the need for recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and stressed the fact that there are national, political, legal, psychological, moral and historical aspects of the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and the elimination of the consequences, as well as aspects related to propaganda (let us mention that Hayern Aysor will publish the speech by RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan later).

Talking about the consequences of the Armenian Genocide, the minister also touched upon the future actions for the restoration of the rights and liberties of Armenians as individuals, as a community and as a nation and the establishment of justice.

“The Centennial of the Armenian Genocide is a major milestone, but not an endpoint. The pan-Armenian declaration adopted on the occasion of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide is not only hinged on international documents and is a sign of gratitude to all the countries and missionaries that created conditions for Armenians to get back on their feet and to the countries and organizations that have recognized the Armenian Genocide, but is also a call to Turkey to lift the burden of the past, confront its past and contribute to the establishment of peace and stability in the region, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan concluded.

President of the RA Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan also greeted the participants and gave a speech.

The conference continues.