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In the Welsh capital of Kartif, in the courtyard of the Temple of Peace, a monument-khachkar dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide has been placed. As informed by the foreign ministry’s press department, land for the monument was given by the Wales International Relations Center, the land itself prepared by the small Armenian community in Wales. The placement of the khachkar was assisted by the “Wales-Armenia Solidarity” organization president John Torosyan and Elyan Williams, a Welsh native.

The opening ceremony was conducted by Armenia’s ambassador in Great Britain, V. Gabrielyan and president of the Welsh parliament, Lord Davit Elis-Tomas, after which Bishop Natan Hovhannisyan conduced a blessing of the khachkar. For the ceremonies, some 300 Armenians from the kingdom were present, parliament members, and representatives from church and social organizations. Turkish protesters were also present.

After the blessing and presentation of the khachkar, Ambassador Gabrielyan, Steven Thomas, director of the Wales International Relations Center, Chris Gilham, representative of the Wales Church, Assyrian Bishop Khoshaba Gevorges, and Mike Joseph, a Welsh historian of Jewish ancestry, gave speeches. The speakers, referring to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, noted the importance of the new monument, as well as the symbolic friendship of the Armenians and Welsh. Gabrielyan stressed the importance of the Welsh Armenian community in Genocide recognition in Great Britain. The ceremony, along with the Turkish protests, were shown on BBC. The ceremony took place on November 3.