Bill > S1025

This resolution officially recognizes April 24, 2025, as "Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day" in Rhode Island, commemorating the systematic destruction of Armenian populations by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923. The resolution provides extensive historical context, noting that approximately 1,500,000 Armenians were killed and 500,000 were expelled from their ancestral homeland during this period, which was explicitly described as a "campaign of race extermination" by U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau. The resolution calls on the U.S. President and Congress to urge the Turkish government to acknowledge this genocide, make restitution for lost lives and properties, and expresses deep sympathy to the Armenian-American community. Additionally, it highlights significant historical moments such as the Allied Powers' 1915 joint statement charging the Ottoman government with "crimes against humanity" and references the United Nations War Crimes Commission's recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precedent for understanding crimes against humanity. The resolution also acknowledges ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and seeks to ensure that this historical tragedy is never forgotten.

https://status.rilegislature.gov/