As already informed, the international forum devoted to “Genocide in the Historical Memory of Nations and in Modern Information Wars” was held at President Hotel in Moscow on November 28.

The event was organized by the Fair World Institute, the Russian Political Science Association, the Center for the Study of Religion and Religious Tolerance (Belgrade), the Institute for Africa at the Russian Academy of Sciences and the “Russian-Armenian Cooperation” Organization and brought together deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, academics and experts, as well as representatives of the national-cultural communities.

The event began with welcoming remarks by head of the “Fair Russia” faction of the Russian State Duma Sergey Mironov; Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation Ella Pamfilova and President of the “Russian-Armenian Cooperation” Organization Yuri Navoyan, who also delivered a speech devoted to the legal and political aspects of recognition of genocides.

As one of the organizers of the forum, the leader of the “Russian-Armenian Cooperation” Organization read the welcoming address of Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan addressed to the organizers and participants. In the message it was particularly stated that Armenia consistently supports the reinforcement of the international community’s fight against the crime of genocide at all international levels and that this struggle will also become one of the major points on the country’s foreign policy agenda.

“I express my greetings to the organizers and participants of the international forum devoted to “The Genocide in the Historical Memory of Nations and in Information Wars”. It should be mentioned that Russia’s political circles, national communities and the academics of different countries have combined their efforts at this international forum devoted to an urgent topic.

In the early 20^th century, the Armenian people experienced genocide that took the lives of 1.5 million innocent people and caused severe damages to the Armenians’ spiritual and material culture.

In 1915, Russia, Great Britain and France had viewed the actions of the authorities of the Ottoman Empire in the territory of Western Armenia as “a crime against humanity”. The description of those actions as the crime of genocide became a prototype for Rafael Lemkin, who coined the term “genocide”.

The Armenian Genocide has been condemned by several countries and international organizations around the world. Several countries have criminalized denial of genocide. the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation has adopted a special declaration “On Condemnation of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-22” (April 1995) and “On the 90^th Anniversary of the Start of the Armenian Genocide” (April 2005). We express gratitude to all the countries having officially recognized the Armenian Genocide since condemnation and punishment are considered the first serious step on the path to prevention of the repetition of that crime in other places.

The Republic of Armenia consistently supports the reinforcement of the international struggle against the crime of genocide at all international levels. From this point forth, the struggle will also become one of the major points on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda. In 2015, Yerevan will be hosting several prestigious international academic and social-political forums devoted to the topic as part of the series of events dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

I wish the participants of the forum success,” as stated in the address.