SYDNEY: More than 150 Armenian-Australians gathered at the Armenian Cultural Centre for a presentation by Nagorno Karabakh human rights activist Zori Balayan hosted by Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia).

Visiting to promote the impending arrival of 'Cilicia' - the ship named and modelled after the 13th century vessels used in and around the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia – Balayan shared with the Armenian-Australian community his experiences during the struggle for liberation of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.

During the presentation, Balayan recalled the massacres of Armenians by Azeri civilians in Sumgait and Baku in the late 1980s and early 1990s, explained the significance of the liberation of Nagorno Karabakh for the security of the Republic of Armenia and called upon the Diaspora to actively continue to raise awareness of the Karabakh people’s right to self determination.

Balayan also noted that the ship 'Cilicia' sailed across the world to diasporan communities with the flag of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh raised on deck. He emphasised that this symbolised the close relationship between the people of Nagorno Karabakh and the Armenian Diaspora.

ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian thanked Balayan for his presentation.

He said: “Mr Balayan reminded us that the struggle for Nagorno Karabakh is still alive.”

“We must work tirelessly to ensure that the Australian public is made aware of the plight of the Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh.”

The ship ‘Cilicia’ will reach Australia during the month of April. Dates of arrival in Melbourne and Sydney shall be confirmed in the near future.