The President of the Senate of France Gerard Larcher paid tribute to the Armenian Genocide victims at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan on April 24. In his speech, Larcher noted that there are few places like this in the world.
“The Genocide happened more than 100 years ago, but its victims are here with us. You come here full of emotions, being aware of what happened, and you leave changed.
In democratic societies, there are times when political differences lose their meaning. And today we are here, together with the chairmen of the various Senate committees, to prove that fact. I am not Armenian, and I am not of Armenian origin, but right now my heart is beating like a heart of an Armenian. Here the past responds to the present. The memorial teaches us that hostilities, even if successful, do not bring victory. May the recent attack on Armenians, which has been accompanied by hatred, violence, atrocities, desecration and destruction of shrines, find here the answer that challenges the past, when the threat that seems to have subsided may flare up again, living memory is the best bulwark against the repetition of history.
After 1915, many Armenians who were forced to emigrate found refuge in France. We can imagine how much France owes them. Twenty years ago, France recognized the Armenian Genocide, it happened at the initiative of President Jacques Chirac, this story makes us – the European French, to never forget.
Tomorrow morning the memory of victims of the deportations committed by the Nazis must be commemorated in France. We must together remember about human dignity and democratic values. Long live the Republic of Armenia,” said Gerard Larcher.
