SYDNEY: The Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS) commemorated the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with the 29th Annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Lecture on Thursday, 29 May 2025, at New South Wales Parliament House.
The event commenced with a poignant wreath-laying ceremony and prayer service at the Armenian Genocide Memorial (cross-stone) in the NSW Parliament's Peace Garden.
Over 75 members from the Armenian-Australian community were present, as well as Mr Tim James MP - Member for Willoughby; Mr Nathan Hagarty MP - Member for Leppington; Ms Charishma Kaliyanda MP - Member for Liverpool; Mr Stephen Lawrence MLC - Member of the NSW Legislative Council; Ms Robyn Preston MP - Member for Hawkesbury; Mr Jordan Lane MP - Member for Ryde; and Ms Jacqui Munro MLC - Member of the NSW Legislative Council.
During the service, wreaths were laid by elected officials and NSW-based Armenian-Australian community organisations. A short address was delivered by Mr Tim James MP and Ms Charishma Kaliyanda MP, underscoring the importance of remembrance and education regarding the Armenian Genocide, which was followed by a prayer service conducted by Rev. Fr. Ashot Abrahamyan and Rev. Fr. Avetis Hambardzumyan from the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection and Rev. Fr. Miuron Avedisian from the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Trinity.
The Commemorative Lecture took place in the Parliament's Macquarie Room, featuring a keynote address by Professor Bruce Scates, a leading historian from the Australian National University in Canberra.
Prior to his address, a snippet from his video on the annual ANZAC broadcast was presented. Professor Scates's lecture, titled “With Courage and Compassion: Anzac and Armenia”, focused on the contributions of Edith May Glanville, a pioneering Sydney feminist and philanthropist, to the Armenian relief movement in Australia during the early 20th century. Professor Scates critiqued what he termed “ANZAC Amnesia”, the lack of recognition of such humanitarian efforts in national memorials like the Australian War Memorial.
The evening concluded with a Q&A segment and a Vote of Thanks from Panayiotis Diamadis, Vice President of the Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, who thanked the NSW Parliament for becoming the first Australian legislature to recognise the Armenian Genocide.
