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The Borough Council passed a resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, which began in April 1915 and continued through 1923, NorthJersey.com reports.

The idea of commemorating the anniversary of the genocide was raised at the council’s April 7 work session by Joseph L. Basralian, a Borough resident and attorney whose wife’s parents are survivors of the genocide, and whose father lost his sister, her husband and all but one of her children.

Basralian said there were nearly 50 Armenian families living in Franklin Lakes, all of whom acknowledge the importance of this anniversary.

"There is no Armenian anywhere in the world who in some way has not been affected by the horrendous acts committed by the Ottoman Empire," he said.

According to the resolution, the genocide is known as the first attempt in the 20th century to exterminate an entire people and resulted in the deaths of about 1.5 million Armenians in their ancestral lands of Asia Minor and during their deportation at the hands of the Ottoman and Turkish authorities.

"The Armenians, in the light of American freedom, settled and built families, raising their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in communities, including Franklin Lakes," the resolution states, "and, survivors and their descendants, cherishing the opportunities afforded by our great nation, thrive in myriad occupations and positions of leadership.”