Armenian Genocide MemorialPrint Page

The Khatchkar commemorates the Armenian genocide, which was the first genocide of the 20th century. It was perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish government against its citizens, the Armenians.

The monument was constructed as a result of a two-year effort invested in obtaining the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the state of New South Wales. The Armenian Genocide Commemorative motion was passed unanimously in the NSW Parliament on April 17, 1997. Turkish protesters swamped the NSW Parliament & Turkish Ambassador to Australia Umut Ali complained to the Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. In late March, the Turkish community of Sydney protested in front of the Parliament building. “Khatchkar” imported from Armenia; later mounted on sandstone

The genocide resulted in the rape, murder and deportation of more than 1.5 million Armenians from their historic homeland, and the destruction of a 3000-year-old culture. The genocide started on 24 April 1915 and most Armenian political, religious and cultural leaders were arrested and murdered. The remaining population of the elderly, women and children were rounded up by special organisation death squads and were forced to either renounce their Christianity or to be raped or massacred. Most of the survivors were deported from their ancestral lands and exiled around the world.

Note: A khachkar, also known as an Armenian cross-stone is a carved, memorial stele bearing a cross, and often with additional motifs such as rosettes,  interlaces, and botanical motifs.

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