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In the City Hall of Lyon, Mayor Gerard Collomb hosted a reception in honor of the President of Armenia which was also attended by representatives of the Armenian-French community. At the reception, President Serzh Sargsyan was bestowed the Medal of Honor of Lyon.

“Vivid proofs of friendship between Yerevan and Lyon are to be found in the center of the multinational Lyon where the Saint Hakop Apostolic Church is located on the Armenia Street, a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide installed at the Place Bellecour, and finally memories are fresh of the Lyon Garden opened last year in Yerevan, which was officially inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Collomb.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Each time I visit France, I feel like I am home and somewhat unintentionally I mentally turn the pages of our unshakeable friendship’s rich memory book which contains amazing parallels. And then comes the unwitting desire to say “thanks” to you, dear people of France, dear citizens of Lyon for being by our side during our most ominous tragedies.

We are approaching the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and we have to make our national struggle more organized so that this crime against humanity is never committed again. I am confident that sooner or later, Turkey will have to accept the truth. It is probably the minimum of what’s needed for having relations with Europe, and it was stated explicitly yesterday by the President of France Mr. Hollande,” President Sargsyan said.

Concluding his three-day official visit to France, today the delegation headed by President Serzh Sargsyan will return to Yerevan.