Victims of Armenian Genocide Commemorated in Vilnius

On April 24 Armenia and the world mark the tragic anniversary, this year the 100th, of the genocide of the Armenians perpetrated by forces of the Ottoman Empire. The victims are honored on this day. The 100th anniversary was commemorated with the slogan “I remember and demand” and with forget-me-not flowers as its symbol. The meaning of forget-me-nots is clear from the name: not to forget, to remember and to recall. A solemn commemoration took place along with celebrations around the world at the Cathedral in Vilnius, with a Mass conducted by archbishop Gintaras Grušas and Apostolic nuncio to Lithuania Pedro Lopez Quintana. Foreign diplomats and high-ranking officials were in attendance including Israel’s new ambassador to Lithuania Amir Maimon, as were members of the Lithuanian parliament, Lithuanian Jewish Community chair Faina Kukliansky and director of Vilnius’s Jewish school the Sholem Aleichem Gymnasium Misha Jakobas. Many countries recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire, but the modern state of Turkey denies it was a genocide. From 1915 till 1923 1.5 million Armenians died.