01.07.2023


On June 30, Ambassador James O’Brien, Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the U.S. State Department, and Kumar Iyer, Director General, Economics, Science and Technology at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial. The delegation was accompanied by John Gallagher, UK Ambassador to Armenia.

The guests were welcomed by Edita Gzoyan, AGMI Deputy Scientific Director, who presented the history of the creation of the Memorial. She then presented the story of the three khachkars placed at Tsitsernakaberd in memory of the Armenians who died in the massacres organized by the Azerbaijani government in the cities of Sumgait, Kirovabad (Gandzak) and Baku at the end of the 20th century, as well as the stories of the five freedom fighters buried in front of Hushapat during the Artsakh struggle of survival—these components of the Memorial emphasize the connection between the Armenian Genocide and contemporary acts of persecution and violence against Armenians. Edita Gzoyan also referred to the historical and legal aspects of the Artsakh issue, presented Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian actions and propaganda.

James O'Brien and Kumar Iyer laid wreaths at the memorial complex, after which the accompanying guests put flowers at the Eternal Fire and observed a minute’s silence in memory of the innocent martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. The guests then toured the Armenian Genocide Museum, accompanied by AGMI, AGMI Deputy Scientific Director Edita Gzoyan, and became acquainted with the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Afterwards James O'Brien left a note in the Memory Book for Honorable Guests.

Expressing gratitude for the visit, the Deputy Scientific Director Edita Gzoyan, presented books on the Armenian Genocide to Ambassador James O'Brien.