Exhibition on Armenian Genocide centenary opens in Rome

The exhibition ''Armenia. The People of the Ark'' opened in the Central Hall of the Vittoriano Museum Complex in Rome on March 5. Armenian Culture Minister Ms. Hasmik Poghsyan, Mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino,  Armenian Ambassador to Italy Sargis Ghazaryan, Armenian Ambassador to the Vatican Mikael Minasyan, the Museum’s Curator Alessandro  Nicosia were present at the opening ceremony.

The exhibition that will last until May 3 has been organized by Armenian Embassies to Italy and the Vatican in cooperation with the Mekhitarist Congregation and the Union of Armenians of Italy, Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

Italian political and public figures, senators and MPs, diplomats and Armenian community members attended the opening. Speeches of welcome were made by Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan, Vittoriano Museum Curator Alesandro Nicosia, Ambassador to Italy Sargis Ghazaryan.
In his speech, Ambassador Ghazaryan said that the exhibition aims to inform the Italian public about the centuries-old history of the Armenian people, in particular the Armenian Genocide that he called “an attempted murder of the Armenian people and Armenian civilization”. According to him, after the Genocide, the Armenian people managed to experience a rebirth by establishing an independent Republic of Armenia.

In the seven sections of the exhibition, visitors will be able to see archaeological finds, illuminated manuscripts, works of art, pictures, documents and multimedia materials that help visitors discover the Armenian language and its alphabet. Among the most valuable pieces, a stone cross dating back to 6th-7th century, a cross with relics of St. George (1746) and the Gospel of Queen Mlke, dating back to 862, usually held at the Library of Mekhitarist Fathers in San Lazzaro Island, Venice.