Pashinyan's Address on the 110th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has issued an address on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

“Dear people, beloved citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

Today, we commemorate the memory of the innocent victims of the Great Genocide, who fell victim to the atrocities and mass deportations that escalated from 1915. The events that took place during the last phase of the Ottoman Empire have left a deep mark on the soul and consciousness of every Armenian. For many citizens of Armenia, the genocide is not only a national tragedy but also a familial, personal one.

Experiencing this tragedy has been a key issue on our national agenda for over a century, regardless of how it has been formulated. My reflections and thoughts, as well as those of the government around this agenda, lead to the following: a developed, sovereign, secure Republic of Armenia, delineated and demarcated by borders, is the means of overcoming the tragedy of the Great Genocide and the testament to our loyalty to all of our sacrifices and victims.

A state and national interests, a Republic of Armenia recognized internationally, with regulated relations with neighbors, open borders, peace, work, prosperity, and free and protected citizens—this is what must keep alive the memory of the victims of the Great Genocide, and this is how we must overcome the tragedy of the Great Genocide.

Dear people, beloved citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

We are on this path because this is how we interpret the message that history sends us, this is how we interpret the pulse of each of you, every citizen of the Republic of Armenia, that is not broadcast on any television, nor expressed on any social network, but is heard by the governing majority formed in the Republic of Armenia as evidenced by your vote, and is personally heard by me.

This path is not a matter of optimism or pessimism but a mission to ensure the perpetuity of the Republic of Armenia, our homeland-state, and having gone through harsh trials and tragedies, we have earned that opportunity, and that opportunity must not be missed. I am confident that we—the people and the governing team you selected—will not miss this opportunity for the sake of our martyrs and for the sake of our future generations.

Honor to the martyrs and long live the Republic of Armenia,” the address reads.