HAGUE, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS. The traditional mass commemoration events for the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, April 24th, have been cancelled in the Netherlands due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mato Hakhverdyan, the Head of the Federation of Dutch-Armenian Organizations, told ARMENPRESS from the Hague that only protocol events will take place: flowers will be laid at the Armenian Genocide memorials in Assen, Amsterdam and Almelo. He said that the Armenian community organizations, such as the Abovian Cultural Center and Sunday school in the Hague are closed.

All events have been postponed. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s scheduled visit to the Netherlands has also been postponed.

Hakhverdian said the lockdown measures in the Netherlands will last until April 28th, while public gatherings or mass events are banned until June 1, as of the latest information.

As of April 13th, the total cumulative number of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands is 25,587.

2,737 have died.

“According to our information there are no severely ill patients among the Armenian community, but this is difficult to fully validate. Regarding helping the elderly and the vulnerable, it is being done mainly through Armenian public and church organizations or Dutch charity organizations which also involve Armenians”, he said.

Dutch-Armenian doctors involved in the coronavirus response are also holding Armenian-language briefings for the community about the disease and preventive methods.

“At the same time, the Netherlands Office of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has joined the donation project of medical supplies to Armenia’s hospitals for the coronavirus response. The Armenian Embassy in the Netherlands is also actively working to boost the supplies of medical items and necessary medications to Armenia,” he added.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan