AYF Australia holds silent protest to remember the Armenian Genocide

By armenia.com.au | Thursday, 24 April 2014

 

SYDNEY: Following on from their successful #SaveKessab campaign, which included a Protest outside the Turkish consulate and a Luncheon which raised over $20,000, over 25 members of the Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (AYF Australia) held a silent protest in Martin Place this morning to raise awareness within the Australian public of the Armenian Genocide.

Often titled the ‘forgotten Genocide’, AYF Australia’s aim was to educate the Australian public on the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide. With such a close link between the Australian ANZAC heroes and those Armenians who suffered during the genocide, AYF Australia took to Martin Place with flyers and posters highlighting how the ANZACs, as well as those who remained in Australia, helped the Armenians through the toughest time in their history.

The flyers highlighted the relief efforts provided by Australia during and after the Armenian Genocide, including the ‘Australasian orphanage’ for child victims of the Armenian Genocide, shipments of aid sent from Melbourne and other Australian ports, Australian newspaper articles outlining the massacres as well as eye-witness accounts that were recorded by ANZAC prisoners of war, detailing the inhumanities against the Armenians.

AYF Australia Nigol Touman Chapter chair, Aram Tufenkjian said: "It is with great pride that we stand here today and call ourselves Australian. It is with greater pride that we can also call ourselves Armenians and remember how our adopted nation as a result of the genocide helped our motherland in its time of need."

He added: "We felt as though we needed to educate the Australian public on the Armenian genocide as it is also part of their history culminating in the first major international humanitarian effort by Australia. Over the past few months, the AYF has shown that it will take a stand against the atrocities caused against the Armenians be that 99 years ago, or present day and will continue to do so until we receive our justice."



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