On December 9 the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations organized a virtual discussion, entitled “Mass Media in Genocide Prevention: The Promise and Peril of the Digital Age”, dedicated to the role of mass media in identifying the risks of atrocity crimes and prevention of genocide.
The virtual event was attended by the Permanent Representatives of the UN member states, diplomats, officials of the UN Secretariat, as well as representatives of media, civil society, academia, and the Armenian community.
In his video message addressed to the participants of the events, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ara Aivazian emphasized Armenia’s commitment to the prevention of identity-based hate crimes. The Minister touched upon the large-scale military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh launched by Azerbaijan, with the direct involvement of Turkey and foreign terrorist fighters and mercenaries, with clear genocidal intent. Emphasizing the need to promote the education of human rights, tolerance and a culture of peaceful co-existence, the Minister stressed the growing importance of the media in preventing crimes against humanity.
The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations Mher Margaryan; Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu; Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming; Director of Peace-building and Rights Program of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights of Columbia University David L. Phillips; Executive Director of the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights, and Genocide Education Dr. Sara E. Brown; Award-winning producer and director of film “The Promise”, Terry George; Professor of the Colgate University Peter Balakian, Executive Director of the Global Centre for Responsibility to Protect Simon Adams and President of International Association of Genocide Scholars Dr. Henry Theriault delivered remarks at the event.
Read also
The virtual event was attended by the Permanent Representatives of the UN member states, diplomats, officials of the UN Secretariat, as well as representatives of media, civil society, academia, and the Armenian community.
The video of the event is available at http://webtv.un.org/watch/mass-media-in-genocide-prevention-the-promise-of-the-digital-age/6215273732001 /.
MFA