YEREVAN, APRIL 23 – On the eve of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the traditional torchlight march organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Armenia Youth and Nikol Aghbalyan Student Unions commenced from Republic Square in Yerevan.
This year’s march was held under the slogan: “Do not deny. Strike when persecuted.”
Prior to the start of the march, ARF member Sevak Nazaryan addressed the crowd, declaring:
“For 110 years, we have spoken the truth to the world—that the crime was real and will never be forgotten. We are not standing in this square as victims, but as living proof that Turkey has failed. 110 years ago, they believed they could erase us and our trace from history, yet today, the Armenian youth standing here is the most powerful testament to that failure. This torchlight march symbolizes the ongoing struggle for justice.”
Remarks were also delivered by ARF Armenia Supreme Council member Gegham Manukyan and ARF Youth Union Board representative Zhora Avdalyan.
“We stand here today as one nation, one voice, one unbreakable will—our torches blazing with unwavering determination,” said Manukyan. “This is not a place of passive remembrance; this is a salvo of demand. The torches in our hands are not just light—they are fire, carrying the eternal memory of our ancestors. They burn with the spirit of the 1.5 million Armenians who perished in the inferno of the Genocide. We are here as their descendants—who will not forget, and who will not be silent.”
Speaking next, Zhora Avdalyan emphasized that those gathered in the square do not stand as victims but as the resilient generation that proves Turkey’s failure.
“We are sending a clear message to the Turkish authorities: our struggle will not fade. We will reach our ultimate goal because it is the very meaning of our lives. We call upon Turkish youth—if you do not pressure your government to recognize the Genocide, you too will bear its burden. And rest assured, among Armenian youth there will once again be Soghomon Tehlirians and Arshavir Shirakians.”
During the event, march participants set fire to the flags of Turkey and Azerbaijan in Republic Square, then proceeded toward the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial, chanting “Struggle, struggle!” and raising demands for justice. They carried the flags of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, as well as those of countries that have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. Placards bearing the names of towns and regions in Western Armenia and Artsakh were also prominently displayed.
At the Genocide Memorial, participants observed a minute of silence to honor the memory of over 1.5 million victims and laid flowers around the eternal flame.
