Wales Genocide Memorial

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Wales Genocide Memorial
Armenian memorial unveiled - geograph.org.uk - 778957 (cropped).jpg
Wales Genocide Memorial
51°29′13″N3°10′59″W / 51.487°N 3.183°W / 51.487; -3.183
LocationTemple of Peace, Cardiff, Wales
TypeMemorial
Dedicated dateNovember 2, 2007
Dedicated toVictims of the Armenian genocide (1915-1922)


The Wales Genocide Memorial is a monument in the garden of the Temple of Peace in Cardiff, Wales, dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide that took place in Ottoman Empire carried out by the Turkish government against the Armenian population from 1915 to 1922.

Contents

Unveiling

The memorial was erected and unveiled on November 2, 2007, at an initiative of the Wales-Armenian Society. The monument's opening was consecrated in a service conducted by Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Great Britain. The ceremony was attended by Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas Presiding Officer of the National Assembly of Wales, David Yeoman, the Assistant Bishop of Llandaff, and Vahe Gabrielyan, Armenian Ambassador to the UK. [1]

Over 300 people attended the opening ceremony. Members of the Turkish community protested, saying the genocide never happened. [2]

A trilingual inscription reads:

Welsh : Er cof am Ddioddefwyr Hil-laddiad yr Armeniaid
Armenian : Ի յիշատակ նահատակաց Հայոց Ցեղասպանութեան
English: In Memory of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide

Desecration

The memorial, desecrated in January 2008 Armenian Genocide in Wales desecrated January 27 2008.jpg
The memorial, desecrated in January 2008

In the early hours of January 27, 2008 the ornate Armenian Cross was smashed by a hammer, which was found at the scene. [3] Eilian Williams of Wales Armenia Solidarity condemned the attack, which happened just hours before a memorial service could take place in remembrance of Holocaust, Armenian genocide and Hrant Dink.

Eilian Williams has said "We shall repair the cross again and again, no matter how often it is desecrated. We also challenge the UK government and the Turkish Embassy to condemn this racist attack."

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References

  1. Armenia-Wales.org Genocide memorial: the consecration service Archived December 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Protest as memorial is unveiled". BBC News Online . 3 November 2007. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  3. Religiousintelligence.co.uk Armenian monument desecrated Archived December 11, 2014, at the Wayback Machine