On Saturday, November 14, 2015, the unveiling and blessing of the newly constructed Armenian Genocide Monument of Las Vegas was held at Sunset Park. H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, arrived in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon, where in the evening he joined the St. Garabed Church parish family at their weekly dinner gathering.
Participating in Saturday’s inauguration ceremony were leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Deputy Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles Valery Mkrtumyan, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Las Vegas Adroushan Armenian, public officials, clergy from the Armenian Apostolic, Maronite, Coptic, Syriac, Antiochian, and Ethiopian Churches, and representatives of Armenian organizations, among them Dr. Viken Hovsepian (ARF Central Committee), Becky Berberian (ARS Regional Executive), Aram Yeremian (Homenetmen Regional Executive), and Elen Asatryan (ANCA).
The program began with the flag presentation by Homenetmen “Artsakh” Chapter scouts and the national anthems, followed by welcoming remarks delivered by MC Lenna Hovanessian.
The Prelate delivered his message, which he began by thanking God for the opportunity to collectively conduct the inauguration of the monument and commended the AACS and all those who worked hard to provide the community with its own beautiful tribute to the 1.5 million martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. His Eminence noted that just in the past year there have been a number of monuments and khachkars erected across the globe, all of which attest to the will of the Armenian people to remember and demand, honor the memory, sacrifices, and legacy of our martyrs and survivors, and symbolize our survival and resilience. The Prelate wished for this and for the over two hundred monuments worldwide to not only educate the public on our history, but to inspire and drive us to continue to share our story and pursue our just cause until we achieve universal recognition and overdue justice. Finally, the Prelate conveyed appreciation to Clark County officials for allocating the beautiful grounds and facilitating construction of the memorial in honor of our holy martyrs. In conclusion, His Eminence invited the guests to rise for a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris the day before.
The dedication ceremony followed, after which remarks were subsequently conveyed by Consul Valery Mkrtumyan and public officials, who commended the Armenian-American Cultural Society of Las Vegas and the community on the realization of the project and presented letters of commendation.
The program also included performances by students of the Armenian Dance Academy of Las Vegas and Armenian Dance School of Las Vegas.
The MC then invited the clergy, dignitaries, and the public to follow the procession led by Homenetmen flag bearers to the monument site for the unveiling and dedication of the plaque, the twelve columns, and the “Eternity Circle” by religious leaders and sponsors. The ceremony came to a close with the placing of carnations.
