28/04/2023

Annual Armenian Genocide memorial held in Belgium, European Syriac Union calls for recognition of genocide by Belgian government

BRUSSELS — Armenian institutions in Belgium held their annual memorial event to remember the Armenian Genocide that took place in 1915, perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire and its local allies against the Armenian people and other primarily Christian ethnic groups.

This year’s event was organized in front of the Genocide Memorial in Belgium by Armenian institutions and was attended by politicians, representatives of various political parties, heads of municipalities, and large crowds of citizens.

The European Syriac Union (ESU) also participated in the event, with ESU official Miryam Vergili delivering a speech at the Genocide Memorial.

During her address, Vergili highlighted the parallel genocides of the Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans–Maronites), the Sayfo Genocide, and the Greeks and spoke about Turkey’s inhumane crimes against these groups.

Vergili called on the Belgian government to recognize these genocides that annihilated significant numbers of the Armenians, Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans–Maronites), and Greeks. She also criticized Turkey for standing against Armenia during its war with Azerbaijan and for its ongoing escalations with Greece.

Vergili congratulated the institutions, political parties, and ESU for their efforts in organizing the memorial event.