YEREVAN. - On Monday evening, a commemoration ceremony of the Armenian Genocide was held in Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex Tsitsernakaberd located in capital Yerevan. The ceremony was attended by the representatives of Japanese Embassy in Armenia, led by Ambassador Kenichiro Sasame, YMCA representatives in Yerevan, members of the Armenia-Japanese Scientific, Educational and Cultural Center “Hikari” and National Centre of Aesthetics (NCA). (photos)

The attendees laid flowers at the Eternal Flame, and observed a minute of silence in memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Lanterns, made by the students of Hikari Centre, were specially sent from Japan. The lanterns were carried by children – pupils of the Hikari Centre and NCA. After the sunset, the lanterns – with candles lit inside - were floated down into water, according to the old Japanese tradition. In fact, it is the first time this kind of ceremony has been held in Armenia.

Active communication between Armenian and Japanese children started in early 2005, when Armenian children made and sent to Japan lanterns in the framework of the program ‘Lanterns of the world’ dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. This gave birth to the tradition, which other countries joined. 

Photos by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am