12.12.2023


The head of the French delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Bertrand Bouyx, visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial on December 12, accompanied by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia, Olivier Decottignies.

Edita Gzoyan, acting director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, welcomed the guests, then accompanied them to the Genocide Memorial complex, presenting the history of its creation. She also narrated the history of the three khachkars placed in Tsitsernakaberd in memory of the Armenians who died in the massacres organised by the government of Azerbaijan 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 the Memory Wall who died during the Artsakh struggle for survival. She emphasised the connection between the Armenian Genocide and contemporary acts of persecution and violence against Armenians and also referred to the historical and legal aspects of the Artsakh issue, describing Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian actions and propaganda.

Mr. Bertrand Bouyx laid a wreath at the memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, after which the guests laid flowers at the Eternal Fire and observed a minute’s silence in memory of the innocent martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

Head of the French delegation to the PACE, Bertrand Bouyx also visited the genocide museum, where Hasmik Martirosyan, senior AGMI tour guide, led the guests through the permanent and temporary exhibitions at the Armenian Genocide Museum, after which Mr. Bouyx left a note in the Memory Book for Honoured Guests.

AGMI Acting Director Edita Gzoyan expressed gratitude for their visit and presented the honourable guest books about the Armenian Genocide.