A Genocide Memorial Centre for Research and Civic Education

Sevres the 20th November 2012 - A genocide memorial centre is to be established in Sevres, France, ‎within the grounds of the Mekhitarist School, Samuel Moorat. The project, which is being led by ‎the non-profit organization Sevres 2015, will include a museum, a research centre, and a conference ‎centre. ‎

‎“The aim of our project is to institutionalize the Armenian experience and presence within Paris, ‎thereby furthering the central question of the Armenian genocide, out of which French citizens of ‎Armenian origin were born,” explains Gerard Guerguerian, President of Sevres 2015. He continues, ‎‎“This is essentially a civic project that is both dynamic and scientific, and one which looks towards ‎the future, and goes beyond the simple framework of a museum or memorial”. ‎

Honoring its central theme of genocide memorial, the Centre will promote reflection on genocide ‎and human rights abuses, and will publish studies on these issues. It will also touch upon other ‎political, economic, social and cultural matters linked to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian ‎genocide, and to the civil engagement of French nationals of Armenian origin. ‎

The project will commence with the installation of an independent foundation that will be included ‎in the usufruit grounds of the Mekhitarist congregation, which are ideally situated between Paris ‎and the communes with a high percentage of Armenian residents. The inauguration of the Centre ‎is foreseen for the year 2015, which will mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. ‎

‎“The 1920 Treaty of Sevres was signed on this very site, and sowed the seeds of promises for ‎Armenia that were never fulfilled. In continuing the intellectual and educational work that has been ‎carried out over the past three hundred years by the Mkhitarist priests, this project will add a civic ‎perspective to enable the renewed examination of the universalism that so defines the French ‎nation, and to which we profoundly adhere,” concludes the President of Sevres 2015.‎

The Sevres genocide memorial project benefits from wide national support, and bases itself on the ‎criteria of transparency and financial independence. ‎

Adresse e-mail : contact@sevres2015.org ‎
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Association-Sèvres-2015/553177194708978?ref=hl‎

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http://www.sevres2015.org

J.B.