Torchlight Procession in Yerevan Marking 110th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide

On a rainy evening in Yerevan, the streets glowed with the light of thousands of torches. People of all ages walked together through the capital city of Armenia, honoring the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed in the Armenian Genocide 110 years ago.

Every year, on the eve of April 24, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Youth Organization leads this powerful march. It begins at Republic Square and ends at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial—the official Armenian Genocide memorial that stands on a hill overlooking Yerevan. This year, the rain did not stop the crowds. With torches in hand and history in their hearts, they marched for justice, memory, and unity.

The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Beginning on April 24, 1915, Armenian intellectuals and community leaders were arrested and later killed. What followed was a campaign of mass killings, forced marches, and starvation that aimed to erase Armenians from their ancestral homeland.

Even today, Turkey denies that the genocide happened, and Azerbaijan has remained a close ally of Turkey in this denial. At this year’s march, some demonstrators set fire to the flags of both Turkey and Azerbaijan, a strong symbol of protest against ongoing threats to Armenian identity and security.

Among those in the crowd was Levon Kocharyan, the son of Armenia’s former president Robert Kocharyan. He spoke to The Armenian Report’s Ani Khachatryan, expressing his concern about how the current government is handling genocide remembrance.

“This government is trying to deny the fact of the genocide—not directly, but by weakening how we talk about it,” he said. “What the ARF Youth is doing every year with this march is even more important now. I hope more people will come, raise their voices, and show this government and the world that we will not forget.”

His message echoed the purpose of the torchlight procession: to remember not only the victims, but also to stay alert and vocal in the face of denial and silence.

April 24 is Genocide Remembrance Day for Armenians around the world. It marks the beginning of the genocide in 1915 and serves as a reminder of what the Armenian people have endured and survived. Every year, millions of Armenians light candles, lay flowers at memorials, and share stories of their ancestors to keep their memory alive.

In Yerevan, as the torchbearers reached the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, the rain continued to fall. But the flames stayed lit, carried by hands both young and old. There was sadness in the air, but also pride—pride in a people who refused to be erased.

The torchlight march is a message to the world: Armenians remember. And not only do they remember, but they demand recognition, justice, and protection from future violence.

As threats continue from Azerbaijan and the pain of Artsakh remains fresh, this year’s march carried a heavier weight. 

The light from those torches reminded everyone that even in the darkest times, the Armenian people will carry the flame of truth forward—together, united, and unafraid.

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