110th anniversary of Armenian Genocide commemorated in Brussels

The 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was commemorated in Belgium in a solemn event organized by the Belgian Committee of Armenians.

The commemoration ceremony took place at the Saint Mary Magdalene Church and Michaux Square in Brussels.

Armenian Ambassador to Belgium Tigran Balayan, Armenian Head of Mission to NATO Arman Israyelyan, Brussels Mayor Philippe Close, members of the diplomatic corps in Belgium, Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the Armenian community and many others attended the event.

Belgian Committee of Armenians President Robert Unusyan said in his speech that since 2020, April 24 is not only the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, but also an occasion to once again raise about the Azeri war and ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. According to Unusyan, the Azeri actions prove that Baku doesn’t have a peace agenda.

Ambassador Balayan spoke about Armenia’s efforts aimed at genocide prevention and emphasized the importance of the adoption by UN Human Rights Council, at its 55th session, of the resolution on the "Prevention of Genocide" presented by Armenia, as well as the UN declaring December 9 as International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. 

Balayan, attaching importance to the need for building a future based on lessons of the past, said that Armenia is committed to contributing to peace, reconciliation and sustainable development, by taking steps in order for such crimes to never happen again.

The participants of the ceremony laid flowers at the Armenian Genocide memorial cross-stone.

Members of the Armenian community then held a demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in Brussels against Ankara’s denial of the genocide.