The Embassy of Armenia in Spain hosted another forum dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide at the Center of Ararat Armenian Association in Mislata (Valencia). Prior to the forum, the guests and attendees visited the “Kenats Khach” (Cross of Life) monument to the victims of the Armenian Genocide where they laid a wreath and bowed in memory of the victims.

As Ararat Armenian Association reports to Hayern Aysor, among those attending the ceremony were advisors of the city councils of Mislata and Burjassot under the leadership of Mayor Carlos Fernandez Bielsa. The forum was held at the Center of Ararat Armenian Association where the guests were greeted with salt and bread.

President of Ararat Armenian Association Ararat Ghukasyan addressed the gathered with a welcome speech in which he expressed gratitude to everyone and Armenia’s newly appointed Ambassador to Spain Avet Adonts for the preparations for the event. On behalf of all the Armenians of Spain, Ararat Ghukasyan expressed gratitude to Mislata, Santa Coloma and Burjassot for officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide, as well as to Bétera, which recently recognized the Armenian Genocide as well. Ghukasyan’s speech was followed by speeches by students of the local Armenian Sunday school who recited poems devoted to Armenia and the Armenian Genocide in Armenian, Spanish and Russian. There were outstanding performances by Arevik Soghomonyan, who recited the poem “Garun a, Dzun A Arel…”, and 6-year-old Khachik, who recited and left a great impression.

The speeches and performances were followed by a speech by the mayor, who welcomed the Ambassador and proudly mentioned that Mislata was the first city of Spain to recognize the Armenian Genocide. “We’ll always stand by the Armenians’ side,” Carlos Fernandez Bielsa concluded.

The mayor’s speech was followed by a speech by speaker of the Lefts Union, author of the Armenian Genocide Resolution Salvador Garcia, who urged the governments of Spain and Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

In his speech, Ambassador Avet Adonts expressed gratitude to Mislata City Council for defending justice and recognizing the Armenian Genocide. “Great tasks start with small tasks, and let’s hope your task will set an example for government officials,” the diplomat concluded and donated books about the Armenian Genocide in Spanish to the mayor. During the forum, delegates of Armenian unions and associations presented their lists of events that would be held in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Malaga and other parts of Spain before, on and after April 24^th. Among those attending the forum were members of the Armenian organizations based in the above mentioned cities, as well as leader of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Spain and Portugal, Father Sasun Zmrukhtyan.

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