July 27, 2023, marks the 40th anniversary of the day five heroic Armenian youth attacked the Turkish embassy in Lisbon, Portugal then stormed and occupied the Turkish Ambassador’s adjacent residence and sent shockwaves across the globe, especially in Turkey, and Armenian communities throughout the world. An act of self-sacrifice to hold the government of Turkey accountable for the Armenian Genocide, raise awareness of the still unpunished crime against humanity, energize generations of Armenian youth to fight for justice more actively and by any and all means necessary, and showing Armenians everywhere that it is possible to fight back against such great evil.
Turkey was and remains responsible for murdering over one and a half million Armenian men, women, and children in their attempts to annihilate the Armenian people and ethnically cleanse historic Armenian lands of its indigenous people and continues to occupy Armenian lands in eastern turkey while denying the facts of the first genocide of the 20th century.
Sarkis Abrahamian, Setrak Ajemian, Vatche Daghlian, Ara Kurjuhlian and Simon Yahneyan made the ultimate sacrifice for a cause they truly believed in and were completely committed and dedicated to advancing no matter what the consequence to themselves. Shortly after taking over the Turkish Ambassador’s residence and realizing they had the attention of the world; they detonated explosions setting the building on fire and sacrificing their own lives in the process. A pre-recorded video was later released with the 5 young men providing interviews and explaining why they felt it necessary to take such drastic measures, and that they all agreed and knew that they would not be returning alive. They were given an Armenian diasporan national burial in Lebanon where a grand memorial was erected, and collectively became known as the heroic Lisbon 5.
They energized and activated a generation of young Armenian patriots, activists and revolutionaries who carried the torch of justice ignited by the Lisbon 5; they continue to serve as examples of those willing to stand up to injustice by any means necessary, to take the fight to the evil behemoth instead of running away and hiding, and to continue working towards and advancing the Armenian cause also known as “Hye Tahd.”
A short five years after the Lisbon 5, the Artsakh movement had already started then erupted into a full-scale war that lasted until 1994 culminating in a victory for a much smaller Artsakh supported by united Armenians throughout the world against much larger Azerbaijani forces supported and backed by Turkey. Many Armenians in Artsakh also made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and liberty in Artsakh from 1988 to now, just as the Lisbon 5 did in 1983.
The Lisbon 5 memorial in Orange County is important now more than ever to remind our communities that with great commitment and sacrifice we can reignite the spark, unite the communities, energize and activate the youth and rise again as a nation, even during these difficult times, and especially now.
The Orange County ACF/ARF Armen Karo Gomideh formed a committee to complete this important project. Designs are being finalized and plans are under way to build the memorial at the Orange County Armenian Center where the community will be invited for a special ceremony and program. Final details will be released soon.
