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French Senate Speaker Gérard Larcher said despite not being of Armenian descent his heart “is beating like the heart of an Armenian” as he paid tribute to the Armenian Genocide victims at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan on April 24 along with several other French parliamentarians.

“There are few places like this memorial in the world. The genocide took place more than 100 years ago, but its victims are here with us,” he said.

The French official said he came to the Armenian Genocide Memorial full of emotions, being aware of what happened,

“I strongly believe the people leave this place changed,” Larcher said. “I am not Armenian, nor am I of Armenian descent, but right now my heart is beating like that of an Armenian."

The French Senate speaker stated the past reverberates to the present at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, which “teaches us that hostilities, even if successful, never bring a victory.”

“May the recent attack on Armenians, which was accompanied by hatred, violence, atrocities, desecration and destruction of sacred sites, find here its responses, which are challenges of the past,” he said.

Larcher reminded that many Armenians found refuge in France after 1915, adding France owes a lot to those people.

“France recognized the Armenian Genocide 20 years ago. This history makes us, the European French, to never forget it. We must together remember about human dignity and democratic values. Long live the Republic of Armenia!” he added.