16.12.2024


The Minister of Culture of Greece, Lina Mendoni, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kostas Fragogiannis, visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex, on December 16, accompanied by Greece's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia, Christos Sofianopoulos.

Edita Gzoyan, Director of AGMI, warmly welcomed the guests and guided them through the Genocide Memorial complex, providing insights into its history and significance. She also shared the stories behind three khachkars erected at Tsitsernakaberd in memory of Armenians who perished in massacres orchestrated by the Azerbaijani government in Sumgait, Kirovabad (Gandzak), and Baku at the end of the 20th century. Additionally, she recounted the stories of five freedom fighters interred near the Memory Wall, who lost their lives during the Artsakh conflict. Mrs. Gzoyan underscored the link between the Armenian Genocide and contemporary instances of persecution and violence against Armenians.

The Minister of Culture of Greece, Lina Mendoni, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kostas Fragogiannis, laid wreaths at the memorial commemorating the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. The guests then placed flowers by the Eternal Fire and observed a minute of silence in honor of the innocent martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

The guests also toured the Armenian Genocide Museum, where, accompanied by the Museum-Institute's guide, Helen Hakobyan, they explored both the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Following the tour, Mrs. Lina Mendoni and Mr. Kostas Fragogiannis made entries in the Memory Book for Honored Guests.

Expressing gratitude for the visit, the Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Edita Gzoyan, presented the distinguished guests with books on the Armenian and Greek genocides. In return, the Minister of Culture of Greece, Lina Mendoni, presented a souvenir to the Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.