23.02.2024


The delegation headed by the Minister of Armed Forces of France Sébastien Lecornu, who arrived in Armenia on an official visit, visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial on February 23, accompanied by the Minister of Defense of Armenia Suren Papikyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to France Hasmik Tolmajyan and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia Olivier Decotigny.

AGMI Director Edita Gzoyan welcomed the guests. She then accompanied them round 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 organized 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.

The ministers of both countries 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.

Edita Gzoyan accompanied the guests to Hushapat, in the back of which, in special niches, small jars full of soil taken from the graves of a number of foreign public figures, politicians, intellectuals and missionaries who raised their voice of protest against the massacres and deportations of Armenians carried out by the Turkish government, are summarized.

At the end of the visit the guests also had a tour in the Memory Park, where Minister of Armed Forces of France Sébastien Lecornu watered the silver fir planted by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018.

Expressing gratitude for the visit, AGMI Director Edita Gzoyan, presented books on the Armenian Genocide to the guest of honor.