On April 22, in the historic Cannon Caucus Room of US Congress a special event took place dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, organized by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues, in cooperation with the Embassy of Armenia to the United States, Nagorno-Karabakh Office and Armenian-American organizations.

Unprecedented number of Congressmen, diplomats, leaders of the American Armenian organizations, His Eminence Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern United States, and Very Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church in Wynnewood, PA, leaders of the Armenian churches and numerous members of the Armenian American community attended the event, moderated by Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian.

Senators Jack Reed, Robert Menendez, Amy Klobuchar, Ed Markey, Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Nancy Pelosi, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Congressmen Frank Pallone and Robert Dold, as well as 20 US Representatives delivered speeches during the event. In their remarks Representatives of United States legislative body condemned Turkey’s denialist policy and expressed their support to the efforts aimed at the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which will not only contribute to the establishment of justice, by will also help the prevention of genocides in future.

In his remarks His Excellency Tigran Sargsyan, Ambassador of Armenia to the United States, particularly, mentioned. ”One hundred years have passed since the Genocide. A whole century has passed, an era. Poetry captures the zeitgeist of an era; it reflects the spirit of the times, the national consciousness, and the experience and wisdom of a people. A poet is the nation’s honor and conscience. By choosing my favorite poet, I choose my path, my destiny, my way, my miles… Today I want to recall Armenian poets and writers: Hrant (Melkon Gyoorjian) and Tigadintsi (Hovhannes Harootunian), Grikor Zohrab and Smpad Pyoorad (Der Ghazariants), Yerookhan (Yervand Srmakeshkhanlian) and Ardashes Harootunian, Roopen Zartarian and Siamanto (Adom Yarjanian), Kegham Parseghian and Taniel Varoozhan (Chubookyarian), Digran Chogyoorian and Roopen Sevag (Chilingirian). What do these poets all have in common? The date of their death. They were all murdered in 1915. Can you imagine? Assassinating all the poets of a nation at the same time. The agents of Armenian honor and conscience. Can this ever be forgotten?”

“Our century-long struggle for recognition of the Armenian Genocide pursues NO political aim. It is not a pragmatic one—not for political dividends. We are fighting for the restoration of historical justice, for our honor and conscience, for our essence. It is the call of the soul of our poets, carried by Armenians all around the world.”

“More than anything, Armenians share this sentiment, this sense of justice. Our struggle is unwavering. Our determination is unbreakable,” outlined the Ambassador.

This year's Capitol Hill Observance included a special exhibition entitled "They Shall Not Perish: The Story of Near East Relief" - chronicled the launch and legacy of the Near East Foundation (formerly known as Near East Relief) and its program to help the survivors of the Armenian Genocide.