On April 24 a ceremony commemorating the 104th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide convened in Washington D.C. The DC Metro area Armenian community members, local Armenian-American and youth organizations held a demonstration in front of the Turkish Ambassador’s residence, followed by an Armenian Genocide commemoration ceremony at the side yard of the Embassy of Armenia.

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian church, joined by St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church pastor Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan and Soorp Khatch Armenian Church pastor Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, offered a community prayer in memory of the sainted martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

Mr. Jacob Bournazian, Representative of the Knights of Vartan, Ms. Mariam Khaloyan, Government/Congressional Relations Director at the Armenian Assembly of America, and Mr. Aram Hamparian, Executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, delivered remarks at the event. In his remarks Ambassador Varuzhan Nersesyan touched upon the efforts towards countering the policy of denial by Turkey and restoring the historical justice.

The event featured performances by students from St. Mary Church’s “Shnorhali” and Soorp Khatch Church’s “Hamasdegh” schools. The event culminated with a traditional wreath laying ceremony.