Uruguay’s president to join Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee

By Asbarez | Wednesday, 21 January 2015

 

Uruguayan President José Mujica (center) with representatives from the Armenian community


MONTEVIDEO—The President of Uruguay Jose Mujica on Wednesday met with representatives of civil and religious organization from the Armenian community in South America, who are preparing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

 

During the meeting President Mujika highlighted the contribution of Uruguayan citizens of Armenian descent and recalled that “Uruguay was the first to recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

Referring to countries who refuse to recognize the crime, the President said: “recognition of the Armenian Genocide is one of the pending cases facing our poor humanity.”

“Solution of this painful issue might be prevented by state interests. However, the least Turkey can do today is face the dark pages of its history and accept the atrocities committed,” the outgoing leader stressed.

Mujica accepted an invitation by the Armenian community to join the Committee to Commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide as an honorable member, once he leaves office on March 1, 2015.

“We cannot change the past, but we have to learn from it and recognize the atrocities that men have perpetrated to avoid such crimes in the future,” Mujica said.

He stressed the importance of learning to live together, to tolerate and “understand that we cannot live if we fail to respect diversity in the world.”

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