Armenian Foreign Minister: Rejected justice persecutes generations of  genocide survivors and impedes genuine reconciliation

ArmInfo. The UN Office in Yerevan hosted an event dedicated to the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.

As reported to ArmInfo by the press service of the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs of Armenia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the  Republic of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan also took part in the event,  who recalled in his speech that on December 9, 1948, the General  Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of  the Crime of Genocide, which clearly confirmed the obligation of the  international communities never allow a repeat of this crime.

According to Mnatsakanyan, Armenia is determined to contribute to the  joint efforts of the international community to develop measures to  prevent genocides in the future.  In this regard, he recalled that  Yerevan is a pioneer in the international arena in the fight against  genocide, and has consistently worked and is working within the UN  with its many partners on the Convention on the Prevention and  Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, on raising awareness about the  dangers and challenges associated with hate crimes, as well as  building legal and institutional capacity.  According to him, it was  Armenia that initiated in 2015 a resolution, which proclaimed  December 9 as International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the  Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime.  He recalled that the document was adopted at the 103rd plenary  meeting of the 69th session by consensus, approved by 80 member  countries of the General Assembly.  "Today, in the context of growing  extremism and a declining international commitment to respecting  human rights, education is critical to effectively tackling this and  other serious problems facing humanity.  The prevention of genocides  is also crucial. In this regard, education must be the driving force  that unites and directs societies and states in political,  diplomatic, socio-economic and cultural efforts to prevent crimes  against humanity, " the Armenian minister said, adding that Armenia  has consistently stated the importance and priority of early  prevention of genocides.

According to Mnatsakanyan, Armenia is fully determined to contribute  to the joint efforts of the international community to develop  measures to prevent genocides in the future.

Mnatsakanyan emphasized that early prevention means early action, the  focus of which is awareness. The Armenian minister expressed his  conviction that prevention begins at the national level.

At the same time, he stated that denial and impunity are the main  obstacles to prevention. "Rejected justice persecutes generations of  survivors of genocide and hinders genuine reconciliation. Combating  denial has always been and remains one of our top priorities. As a  nation that has survived genocide, we also recognize our commitment  to advance the agenda" never again. "In this context, the process of  recognizing the Armenian Genocide is not only a direct step towards  the recognition of our justice, but also a step towards the  prevention of genocides, as this is the premise that impunity will  not work. It is needed not so much for history or historians as for  humanity today and especially for potential victims of identity-based  violence, It is needed for overcoming the perception of genocide and  the universal protection of human rights. This is an ongoing process,  and we will continue to work in this direction, "the Armenian Foreign  Minister assured, recalling the Global Genocide Forums held by  Armenia since 2015. In this regard, he noted that in 2020 it is  planned to hold the fourth Global Forum on Combating Genocide.

Mnatsakanyan noted that one of the most important goals of such  forums is to study the prevention of genocide through education and  science, to raise awareness of the problems of education in the field  of genocide and to discuss steps and effective methods for solving  them. "We all have one important obligation - the obligation to  remember. And therefore it is important that the obligation to  remember is reflected in various materials on history - in textbooks,  articles and scientific papers. Memorial days of genocidal events -  the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, as well as genocides in  Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur should be mourning days not only for  generations of victims, but also for generations of criminals, since  these days should lead humanity to recognition and reconciliation,   "summarized Mnatsakanyan.