Forgetting his own claims of innocence in the massacres, Talaat justified the mass killings by accusing Armenians of stabbing his country in the back during the war. Contradicting himself again, Talaat declared his support for Armenians by claiming that “he was in favor of granting autonomy to minorities in the most extended form, and would gladly consider any proposition that was made to him.”

Garo Paylan, representing the Kurdish opposition HDP Party, then took the floor and also spoke about the Armenian Genocide: “One hundred years ago the Armenian people were uprooted and exterminated by a decision of the State. My family -- grandfather and his family -- also suffered from these events. My grandfather was orphaned, having lost both parents. I am from the generation of orphans and leftovers of the sword, living in this land. My race is massacred.”

After the Pope’s remarks, the calls from the European Parliament stating that “1915 is a genocide, Ankara should open its archives and
make peace with Yerevan” received harsh reactions from Turkey. It was known that remarks like these would come during the 100th anniversary of 1915, but obviously nobody in Turkey had done their homework. More precisely, the government chose a simplistic approach of thinking “we will publish a condolences message with a language that suits us, and then it is all over.”

The report in general records a negative review on Human Rights situation in Turkey, freedom of expression, decline in democracy, worries on minority rights, aggressive attitude against Greece, and refusal over the existence of the Republic of Cyprus.

Armenians worldwide applauded the Cilician Catholicosate for filing a lawsuit in the Turkish Constitutional Court on April 27, demanding the return of its historic seat in Sis, Kozan district of Turkey’s Adana province. The Cilician See’s former headquarters, established in 1293, was confiscated by the Turkish government in 1921, at the culmination of the Armenian Genocide.

Pres. Sargsyan is clearly indicating that as a head of state, demanding land from Turkey -- a powerful and menacing neighbor -- could have serious consequences on Armenia’s national security, which is not the case when such claims are made by individuals or organizations.

My father Joseph Artin Apikian, was a genocide survivor as well! To this day big nations, the so called democratic countries: USA, England, etc. don’t recognize the Genocide. Furthermore, every time Turkey denies the genocide they commit a new genocide. Genocide is a big crime and denying it is the mother of all Genocide. Mum thank you and God bless your soul!

The Armenian Community of China organized a landmark series of cultural and artistic events in cities across China, to mark the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. These events, held in Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai during the weekend of April 24-25, shared the Armenian history, art and culture with the Chinese people on a historic occasion.

However, it must be acknowledged that is also Your duty to remember the Armenians, who became victims of the policy of the British Empire. If the British Empire had not prevented the collapse of the Ottoman Empire on various occasions,  the Armenians would have not been massacred; instead they would happily live in their millennial homeland and would not mourn their losses every year on April 24.

In fact, as a senator, Barack Obama strongly supported the passage of the 2007 Armenian Genocide Resolution, which called the massacres a genocide. As a presidential candidate, he condemned the Bush administration for dismissing John Evans, the U.S. ambassador to Armenia, after Evans said the word "genocide" in public. "As president," vowed Obama, "I will recognize the Armenian genocide.

Pres. Obama could lay the foundation for improved Armenian-Turkish relations based on truth and justice, in line with a pending resolution in the House of Representatives, and his previous April 24 statements, declaring that “a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests.” Pres. Obama’s visit would also encourage Turkish human rights activists to continue their arduous task of assisting the Government of Turkey to reckon with the darkest pages of its past. 

The selection committee of this special award is co-chaired by George Clooney and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. The committee also includes former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, UN Secretary-General's Advisor on Genocide Prevention Gareth Evans, human rights activist Hina Jilani, and Dr. Gregorian.

On March 10th in NYC, prominent Armenians Ruben Vardanyan, Carnegie Corporation of New York President Vartan Gregorian, and Flagship Ventures CEO Noubar Afeyan annlounced the launch of their new global humanitarian initiative, 100 LIVES, as well as a new humanitarian award, The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity.