The Armenian Communities Department supported the commemoration of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide by sponsoring concerts and other cultural events. Martin Essayan, Trustee of the Foundation and Razmik Panossian, Director of the Armenian Communities Department, attended commemorative ceremonies in Paris and Istanbul, two cities to which the Founder had strong ties.

On the morning of April 24, in Istanbul, Mr Essayan laid flowers at the graves of Sarkis and Dirouhie Gulbenkian, the parents of Calouste Gulbenkian.

Following this, Mr Essayan and Mr Panossian joined thousands of Armenian and non-Armenian individuals in a solemn ceremony held at Taksim Square. This marked the fifth year that commemoration events have been held publicly in Turkey. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation supported two memorial concerts. One took place in Paris on April 21 organised by AGBU, the other, in Istanbul on April 22 organised by Anadolu Kültür and Kalan Müzik. The Paris Concert was led by maestro Alain Altinoglu and included Armenian musicians from the Gulbenkian Orchestra, as well as 40 members of the Gulbenkian Choir.

In Istanbul, the concert was held in remembrance of the Armenian intellectuals who were arrested on April 24, 1915. Armenian and Turkish musicians recited Armenian songs and poetry. This concert was the first of its kind to be organised in Turkey. Mr Essayan and Mr Panossian attended both concerts, as well as visiting the opening of two exhibitions – “Power of Emptiness” and “Exbroideries” at the Depo Gallery. “The commemorative events in Istanbul were truly exceptional and moving experiences”, said Mr Essayan.

The Department is also supporting a commemorative concert with Alexander Chaushian & Friends held at The Wigmore Hall in London on July 12.

On April 10 and 11, Mr Panossian participated in an academic conference in Los Angeles, organised by UCLA, where he presented a paper entitled, Going Beyond the “Long Shadow” of 1915: Armenians in 2115. (Available to read here) He also attended another conference called The Armenian Genocide: Concepts and Comparative Perspectives held at the Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, which was a pioneering event organised in Turkey.