Statement on Armenian Remembrance Day

Today we pause to remember the lives lost during the Meds Yeghern—the Armenian genocide—and renew our pledge to never forget.

On April 24, 1915, Ottoman authorities arrested Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople, the start of a systematic campaign of violence against the Armenian community. In the years that followed, 1½ million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths, a tragedy that forever affected generations of Armenian families.

As we join nations around the world in remembering this painful history, we also reflect on the resilience and resolve of the Armenian people. So many of those who survived were forced to begin new lives in new lands, including the United States. Here and around the world, the Armenian people have met the evil of hate with hope. They rebuilt their communities. They nurtured their families and preserved their culture. They strengthened our Nation. They also told their stories—and those of their ancestors—to remember and to ensure that genocide like the one that happened 108 years ago is never again repeated.

Today let us renew this pledge. Let us recommit to speaking out against hate, standing up for human rights, and preventing atrocities. And together, let us redouble our efforts to forge a better future, one where all people can live with dignity, security, and respect.