Fourth President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian on Wednesday issued a message on the occasion of the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The message reads as follows:

“Today, we solemnly commemorate the indelible memory of the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey.

I pay tribute to the 1.5 million Holy Martyrs who tragically fell victim to that atrocious crime.

The remembrance of the Genocide and its invaluable lessons must forever be woven into the fabric of our past, present, and future. This remembrance is not only essential for us but also for the civilized global community, which acknowledges and condemns genocide as the gravest crime against humanity and an abhorrent anti-human phenomenon. And this serves as a crucial safeguard against the recurrence of genocides.

And we—as a nation and a state—should look ahead, move forward and actively participate in all the developments taking place in the world today, steadfastly maintaining our identity and history without retreating.”