During the program “Hartsazruyts” (Interview) on Armenian Public Television, the secretary of the state commission on the coordination of events dedicated to the Armenian Genocide centennial, Chief of Staff of the Armenian President’s office Vigen Sargsyan presented details about upcoming events commemorating the Armenian Genocide centennial.

 The international forum “Against the crime of Genocide” will be held on April 22-23, bringing together 500 participants from all over the world, including political, public, religious figures, journalists, and editors. The forum will serve as a platform for speaking not only about the Armenian Genocide, but about genocides in general.

 Canonization of Armenian Genocide victims will be performed on April 23, with live connection with the biggest Armenian churches worldwide. Bells in all churches will ring for 100 times, symbolizing the 100th anniversary of the Genocide and will be followed by a moment of silence. According to Sargsyan, many non-Armenian churches across the globe will join us in this initiative. Lord’s Prayer reading and performing the Armenian chant Surb-Surb in different corners of the world will conclude the ceremony.

 An hour later at 8:30 pm the rock band System of a down (SOAD) will perform a free concert in the Republic Square in Yerevan. Sargsyan reminded that the group members had not performed together for some years, but gathered for their world tour in the threshold of the Armenian Genocide centenary.

On April 24, early in the morning the Armenian Genocide commemoration will be held in Tsternakaberd, followed by reopening ceremony of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute’s (AGMI) renewed exposition. Sargsyan mentioned that the area of the museum was enlarged for three times without changing the architectural structure.

Collective Symphony Orchestra will give a concert at the Republic Square in the evening of April 24 with around 140 musicians from over 70 countries participating. The orchestra will perform Armenian compositions created during the last 100 years. Official guests will attend the concert, which is open to public.

Sargsyan said that many other events are scheduled to take place in the future as well. The international association of genocide scholars will hold a conference in Yerevan in June, with more than 300 participants having already been registered.

State delegations were mainly invited from countries we have common history concerning the Genocide or friendly relations with and their responses are quite impressive. “We do not disclose the names of heads of delegations, based on the subtleties of diplomatic protocol. It is of huge importance that our colleagues who really understand why the Armenian Genocide centennial matters so much to Armenia and our nation will be among the attendants,” Sargsyan said.