One of the 20th century’s worst atrocities took place in 1915. An estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed or expelled from what was then the Ottoman Empire, and other ethnic groups were targeted too. Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 in an Armenian church in Turkey. Since then, it has been observed annually on April 24th, not just in Armenia, but in various other countries, including the United States and France. The date of the 24th of April has also been declared a day to remember man’s inhumanity to his fellow men. In Armenia the day is observed by thousands who walk to a memorial and place flowers at an eternal flame. Many Armenians observe the day in a more personal way and the day has become a somber reminder of an incident in history which should never be forgotten.
