About 600 people marched on April 24 in Valencia at the 99th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The parade, part of the Place du Champ-de-Mars borrowed the boulevards and the streets of Armenia, leading to the monument of the Armenian genocide, the work of Toros, the square Manoug Stepanian face instead Missak Manouchian. In the audience, the presence of many young people was noted.

In public, many religious and political figures and members of associations

Marlene Mourier, Mayor of Bourg-Les-Valence recalled that in the world, especially in Yerevan, hundreds of thousands of Armenians commemorate the Armenian Genocide. MP Patrick Labaune, referring to statements by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan addressed to Armenians said “dialogue appears to be possible (…) but beware, this dialogue does not mean dirty.” Finally Nicolas Daragon the Mayor of Valencia firstly argued that the massacres and atrocities were victims Armenians in 1915 has a name: genocide. Nicolas Daragon recalled the struggle of Armenians for justice and recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey. “This long way (…) still faces the official silence of Turkey, even the statement of Turkish Prime Minister may be, I mean perhaps an encouraging sign. But it remains well shy or timid then filled with ulterior motives, “he said. A phrase that sums up the thoughts of numbers of Armenians face the Ankara ambiguous position … only one year of the 100th anniversary. Finally, note the very good intervention MEP Michèle Rivasi who had recently visited Nagorno-Karabakh and was one of the defenders of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 2001. Sources: Dauphiné Libéré. Photos Sonia Sarkissian

Krikor Amirzayan