YEREVAN. - Holding of the Pan-Armenian Games especially this year, when all the Armenians are marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, has a special significance for us, Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan said today at the meeting with the mayors of a number of towns and city hall representatives, who have arrived in Armenia to take part in the 6th Pan-Armenian Games.

Taron Margaryan invited them this October to revisit Yerevan and take part in the “Erebuni-Yerevan 2797” celebrations, as reported to Armenian News – NEWS.am by the Yerevan Municipality press-service.

The mayor of the Turkish city of Van, Hatice Çoban, said they attach importance to the expansion of cooperation in sports and cultural areas. He also expressed confidence that such relations serve as a unique bridge between the nations and it’s necessary to do everything possible to strengthen that bridge. “On behalf of me, as well as the Mayors of Diyarbakir and Bitlis who are present here, I’d like to assure you, Mr. Mayor, that we are ready to deepen the ties of our cities and residents with Yerevan, thus showing that our people can actually be good friends. We clearly realize that certain cruel events of the past have left their trace, but we must also confirm that this was the crime of authorities of that period, and not of the present generation, which is actually ready to sincere and generous friendship with its neighbors,” the Mayor of Van said.