On March 5, 2015, Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations in collaboration with the Armenian Relief Society (ARS Eastern USA) hosted a reception at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to kick off the official opening of “Stitching to Survive: Handwork of Armenian Women” exhibit on Armenian textiles.

The reception was attended by representatives from UN member states, the clergy of the Armenian Church, civil society organizations and media, as well as members of Armenian-American community.

In his welcoming remarks, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, stated that this exhibition shares a story of people who exactly 100 years ago experienced most heinous and dehumanizing mass exterminations and deportations, which was defined as ‘a crime against humanity and civilization’. According to Mnatsakanyan, Rafael Lemkin, having meticulously examined this instrumentalised crime against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire coined the term genocide.”

Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN further mentioned uniqueness of the exhibition, as merging "Symbol and Reality," it reveals the story of women, that survived Genocide. Ambassador Mnatsakanyan noted, that Armenian women, who taking refuge in other states, found strength to rebuild their life and remolded their identity, adapting to new environment and reality. Commending the leadership of ARS and recognizing the valuable contribution of the exhibition supporters, Permanent Representative of Armenia concluded that his people have established a powerful network of institutions to preserve their identity, while harmoniously integrating in their new host societies, and that they have found their way to re-establish their long lost statehood and to raise their flag in the United Nations.

In his speech Vicky Marachlian, ARS Chairperson, mentioned the importance of the exhibition in the frameworks of the important role of women in Diaspora and the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. ARS Chairperson added that “we and our textiles are enduring legacy of our foremothers and through this artworks we come to celebrate together their resilience, revival and achievements”.

Since earliest times, textiles and needlework have been the domain of Armenian women. Forced out from their historical homeland as a result of genocide in the early 20th century, a large part of the Armenian people are now scattered across the globe including in the United States.

Textiles and needlework from 19th century to our days by Armenian women, brought from Armenian museums in the USA were presented at the exhibition.