Armenia is a guest of honor at the 13 Horcynus Orca Festival held in Messina, Sicily, on July 26 – August 2. Events held in connection with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and dedicated to Armenian culture, history, and Nagorno Karabakh took place during the festival, Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

A contemporary art exhibition dedicated to the centenary of the Armenian Genocide opened on Lipari Island on July 26. On display were paintings by Van Leo, Mario Sillani Djerrahian, Sharis Karapetian, Claudio Gobbi and Agnese Purgatorio.

The official opening of the festival on July 28 was presided over by Armenian Ambassador to Italy Sargis Ghazaryan and Festival Presidents Gaetano Guinta and Martina Corgnati.

Ambassador Ghazaryan made a speech thanking the festival organizers for their solidarity and friendship with the Armenian people. He pointed out historical ties of the Armenian people with Sicily, noting that Armenians played a role in the development of Sicilian economy and culture in medieval times. He stressed the need to promote cooperation between local government bodies of Armenia and Italy. The ambassador spoke of the Armenian Genocide and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Sargis Ghazaryan said that events like the Horcynus Orca Festival help raise awareness of genocides and thus prevent future genocides. Speaking about the Karabakh problem, the Armenian ambassador attached importance to dissemination of impartial information about the conflict so as to prevent Azerbaijan from unleashing a war.