Dear participants of the Forum,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

In my closing remarks, I would like to emphasize, that the first Forum held in Yerevan became a unique platform to commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, to protest against denialism, to condemn the crimes against humanity and join efforts to prevent that calamity.

Today it is hard to imagine that some 50 years ago, during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary, the Armenian Genocide was just a dark page of the history of mankind and was not discussed beyond the Armenian circles. It is due to collective, unified efforts of the Armenian people and support of the international community that today we can say with confidence - the Armenian Genocide gained worldwide recognition.

During the Centennial commemoration, many raised the question as of what would happen the following year. We have already witnessed the fact, that consistent work ceases neither before, nor during and after anniversaries. Holding of the Second Global Forum is its proof.

This Forum, which due to its successful realization has become a deserved continuation of the last year’s Forum, is turning into an important format for the fight to prevent genocides and crimes against humanity. As Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, mentioned in his opening remarks, “genocide committed at any corner of the world should be viewed as a failure for the international community as a whole, and the prevention of it is the duty of every single one of us individually and of the humankind collectively.” I am confident that the acknowledgement of this fact has gathered us in one room. Memory should be accompanied with consciousness, as Vartan Gregorian mentioned today.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Concluding our activities, I would like to mention, that the main topic of the Second Global Forum, i.e. discussions on refugee and survivor issues emanating from genocide and crimes against humanity are not only needed, but nowadays have acquired a special resonance. I would like to express gratitude to all those who made their input in the efficient work of the Forum with their informative presentation. Discussions on a large scale of questions during the Panels revealed numerous issues, which often remain in the shadow.

While speaking about a crime, for sure, one should reflect on the human lives and the fates of those who bear the full burden of the crime. In her presentation Francesca Piana convincingly outlined the similarities between the migrant crisis currently underway and the situation in the post-war Europe nearly 100 years ago.

Ensuring favourable environment for providing humanitarian aid should, indeed, be one of the responsibilities of different states and international organizations during crisis situations. Joachim Savelsberg revealed the importance and urgency of the issue in his speech.

Elisa von Joeden-Forgey and Jack Porter thoroughly raised moral, psychological, legal issues faced by the refugees and survivors.

Sait Cetinoglu delivered a structured report on different components of the crime of genocide. On my behalf, I would like to add, that in many cases crimes against survivors continue throughout ensuing years, even decades of the genocidal acts. I am talking about the attempts to conceal or deny committed crimes. Unequivocally, this is a violation of the survivors’ right to remembrance. As long as it continues, survivors and their descendants remain in the status of victims of the crime. The President of Armenia, reflecting on the denial issue in his speech stressed that it is the most painful blow to the survivors, mentioning that “today, unfortunately, the humankind still lacks humanness.”

A hundred and one years have passed since the 1915 tragic days, “one hundred plus one year”. These were not only years of loss, pain, resistance and revival of the Armenian people, but, unfortunately, also years of continued denial. “One and a half million plus one” - this was the motto, which led tens of thousands of people to the streets to express their protest against the nowadays victim of hate environment - against the assassination of Hrant Dink. Considerable part of the Turkish society raised their voice in an attempt to break the chains of hatred and denial, the taboos under which the right of the Turkish people to know the reality had been violated for decades.

However, today’s stance of the Turkish authorities continues to diametrically differ from the demands of that progressively-minded part of the society.

Turkey’s Prime Minister declares that today the Kurds cooperate with Russia in the manner as “the Armenian gangs” did back in 20th century. Talaat Pasha, then Prime Minister of Turkey, one of the masterminds of the Armenian Genocide used those words in an attempt to justify repressions committed against the Armenians. It is obvious, that in 100 years not much has changed here.

Such expressions provide a fertile ground for new crimes, and today George Clooney made a quite truthful remark that while we declare “Never Again”, it repeats again and again and again...

Ladies and gentlemen,

Stories of survivors of genocides and crimes against humanity are touching, and at the same time those stories share many similarities. Within this context the fates of Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte and Youk Chhang, two survivors, are no exceptions. Both of them, after being forced to take a path of refuge, studied in the host countries, reached success and now are carrying out fruitful activities. The stories of Kabanda Aloys and Nadia Murad were especially inspiring. Today I had a meeting with them. Today they are responding to the cruelty and hatred with courage and their humanitarian activity. Such people, be they from Rwanda, Cambodia, Iraq, or other places, stand in the frontline of the fight against genocide. I would like to extend special thanks to Nadia Murad and all those who, after witnessing the extermination of their beloved ones, made the fight of the crimes against humanity their vocation.

Dear participants of the Forum,

Proper warning, response to the genocidal environment, raise of public awareness play an extremely significant role in the fight for genocide prevention. Professor Ove Bring, in his speech, aptly pointed out that prevention tomorrow is linked to reaction today. Professor Frank Chalk clearly defined those who are aware of the means of prevention, but pretend as if they are not. He summarized that nothing is more shameful than to know what obviously is in someone’s mind and not to react to that.

Among the most important tools for addressing modern genocide is the international criminal justice system. Aaron Fichtelberg made a comprehensive presentation on that matter, presenting the genocide issues in the context of criminal justice.

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted almost 7 decades ago, which was a landmark event. But mere good will is not sufficient for genocides not to happen. Stable mechanisms of prevention are required. It is necessary to nail down and implement such imperative jus cogens norms of International Law, which would block new genocides. The remarks by Enzo Cannizzaro were noteworthy in this context.

Decisions of the international courts on criminal responsibility, despite the fact that they are mostly belated, could have a deterrent role, as William Schabas put it in his speech.

Education plays a crucial role in the concept of prevention. As Paul Levine stressed, one of the nowadays profound challenges is to raise awareness among the current generations on the threats that led to tragedies of the past. I suppose this could become one of the core topics of the next Forum.

I fully share the view presented by David Ignatius at the opening of the Forum, that the past should not become a weapon for vengeance, but it should be a tool to build mutual understanding, justice and solidarity.

Most of the ideas raised during the Forum have also been included in the resolutions initiated by the Republic of Armenia in the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. However, today you have also identified the gaps in the fight against genocides. For Armenia, as a state, which attaches a primary importance to the prevention of genocides, for us and our partners the abovementioned indicate an outline for future actions.

There are remarkable legal solutions regarding survivors within the national, and especially, precedential law of different countries. The latter research will allow to enrich the existing international legal mechanisms on genocides, crimes against humanity, as well as refugees.

Ladies and gentlemen,

No doubt, we will bid farewell full of motivation and determination. Motivation, because the Forum emphasized that many representatives of the political, social and academic circles of the civilized humanity are working towards the creation of a world free of genocides and crimes against humanity. And determination, as the remarks made during the Forum outlined what heavy consequences the whole humankind could face if it fails to find effective and consolidated solutions to phenomena, which have once again gained an alarming urgency nowadays.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank all the participants of the Second Global Forum and everyone who made their input in the organization of the Forum. Indeed, it was a profound honour for Armenia to host such an impressive number of prominent genocide scholars, survivors, political and social figures, human rights activists, artists, journalists and, in general, all those, who are connected through the fight against the calamity of genocide. I am confident that the insights and proposals voiced during the Forum will have their important place in the depository of the fight for the prevention of crimes against humanity.

The Second Forum yet again emphasized what we all have agreed on during the First Forum - this process should be continuous.

Ladies and gentlemen, hope to meet you all again in two years.

Thank you all.