24 APRIL 2015

Surp Badarak mass in memory of April 24 has been held at the Turkey Armenian Patriarchal Church. Led by Deputy Patriarch Aram Ateşyan, the ceremony was also attended by EU Minister Volkan Bozkır. President Erdoğan’s message was also read at the ceremony where white doves symbolizing peace were released and bells were rung 100 times.

Today’s issues of the daily Cumhuriyet and Özgür Gündem newspapers have been published with Armenian headlines .

Rakel Dink, in the article titled ‘A Century of Genocide’ she wrote for the April 24, 2015, issue of Cumhuriyet newspaper, relates what befell her family and relatives in 1915, how she met Hrant Dink, and the struggles they put up together: Today, first at Balıklı, at my Çutak’s grave, then in Şişli, at Sevag’s grave, and finally, in Taksim Square, to commemorate the ones we lost during the 1915 Genocide, I will silently wait for this country to become free.

President Erdoğan has made a joint statement with Iraq President Fuad Masum: “Armenia speaks as if our 100th anniversary Gallipoli commemorations are in retaliation. We have no such qualms.”

The Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Turkey has published an official statement on the eve of 24 April. The statement concludes with the words “…we once more commemorate with deep respect the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives during the relocation in 1915 and we share in the grief of their children and grandchildren.”

The Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey has issued an invite via its official Facebook page for broad participation at mass to be held on 24 April, Friday, at the Kumkapı Virgin Mary Patriarchate Church.

The Patriarchate of the Armenians of Turkey will hold mass on April 24 in memory of ‘those who lost their lives in 1915’. In his speech at mass, Archbishop Aram Ateşyan will not use the term “Genocide” but will emphasize “shared pain”.

The Grammy-award winning band has embarked on its “Wake Up the Souls’ tour of concerts planned for the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide with a concert held at The Forum in Los Angeles on April 6. The tour will end in Yerevan on April 23.