Switzerland has rejected the Swiss-Armenian community’s proposal to place an Armenian Genocide monument at the square of the UN House in Geneva.

The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the Canton District of Geneva about its decision. The ministry also informed that if the Armenian cultural association is persistent, the monument can be placed in another city, reports Ermenihaber.

In 2008, the Municipality of Geneva had granted permission to place an Armenian Genocide monument in the city, but the monument wasn’t placed due to some problems with the territory.

Later, in November 2013, the Turkish Time turk reported that the Municipality of Geneva is determined to build a monument to the Armenian Genocide and that, according to the statement by the city’s conicl of elders, it can be placed in the Ariana Park.

In relation to the placement of the monument during a press conference, Armenia’s Ambassador to Switzerland Charles Aznavour said the monument shouldn’t be viewed as “a country’s condemnation” and that it will symbolize all the nations that have been subject to genocides. During a press conference, Geneva Municipality’s official in charge of the monument, Sammy Canaan, assured that the word “Genocide” wouldn’t be inscribed on the monument. However, Turkey was still discontent with the draft of the monument to be placed in Geneva. The Swiss MFA speaker told Turkey’s Jihan news agency that Switzerland’s can’t suspend the construction of the Armenian Genocide monument.

According to the plan, the series of monuments entitled “Lanterns of Remembrance” was supposed to be composed of 9 street lanterns, the parts of the lanterns of which were supposed to be made from steel and look like teardrops. The Swiss-Armenian community was going to pay 400,000 Swiss Francs, while Municipality of Geneva was going to pay the remaining 100,000 Francs. The creator of the monument is Melik Ohanyan.

Armenian communities and organizations are the important driving force for recognition of the Armenian Genocide and in regard to all issues. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide at the federal level was the fruit of the combined efforts of all the community organizations, the different events and actions that were aimed at ensuring the MPs’ votes.

There are nearly 4,500 Armenians living in Switzerland. Some are representatives of the generations of Armenian orphans having taken shelter in Switzerland following the Armenian Genocide of 1915, while others are Armenians who migrated from Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt and resettled in Switzerland. The core makes up nearly 1,500 Armenians who organized several traditional events to maintain the spirit of Armenians within the community.

Distinguished members of the community actively follow and participate in the processes for the Swiss parliament’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian community made a great contribution to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Municipality of Geneva on December 10, 2001.