Many gathered around Cranston City Hall last Friday evening to commemorate the 110^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with a ceremonial flag-raising.

The Armenian community and friends came out in support, and a Cranston resident, Armenian American Anna Demetrakas, was honored for her contributions to the community.

The ceremony included speeches by elected officials, community leaders and youth representatives. Many emphasized the theme of honoring the resilience and contributions of the Armenian community and recognizing the importance of preserving Armenian history, culture and identity.

Eleven-year-old Christian Zorian, of Cranston, was among the youth representatives who spoke during the ceremony. He shared with the crowd what it meant to him to be a proud Armenian American.

He said he realized that his faith, family and culture are all tied to what makes him feel Armenian.

From attending Sunday school and church regularly to absorbing his family’s love for Armenian music and dance, he said he’s learned many life lessons from his grandparents and the legacy of his family history.

Noting that food is a big part of Armenian culture, Zorian said his grandma made the best pilaf, an Armenian staple. He also shared that his grandpa, whom he calls “Papa Ray” was instrumental in making the Armenian Museum in Providence a reality.

“My Papa Ray was a very proud Armenian American who spent many years serving the entire community relentlessly and with much love,” Zorian said. “I am grateful for it all and realize that being Armenian is a gift.”

State Sen. David Tikoian’s grandparents were survivors of the genocide by the Turks. He said that although this is usually a somber time of year, a commemoration of survival, he called for celebration of life by the descendants of genocide.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our ancestors survived, our parents survived, our grandparents survived, and in some cases our great grandparents survived,” Tikoian said. “And [because] of their survival, Armenians across the globe are contributing members of society.”

The ceremony concluded with the singing of the Armenian national anthem by the Homenetmen Providence Scouts, an Armenian social and athletic union, as the Armenian flag was raised in front of City Hall.

Later, this week, a resolution was passed by the City Council, to recognize the importance of the annual Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.

Councilwoman Kristy Haroian, who sponsored the resolution, said the Armenian Genocide remains heart-wrenching.

“It is something we can never forget,” she said, “and we can’t ever let this happen again.”