Factsheet on the Roma Genocide in Armenia
Recognition of the Roma Genocide
Recognition, official texts
Roma are not in the state’s official definition of the Holocaust. According to the OSCE report, the Holocaust is defined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as ‘the attempted murder of the Jewish people by the Nazi Germany regime” (See Education on the Holocaust and on Anti-Semitism, page 68).
Data (camps locations, Remembrance places, measures etc.)
The state has instituted a National Genocide Memorial Day, 24th April, which reportedly incorporates a universal remembrance day.
Every year on January 27, Jewish organizations of Armenia, together with the representatives of the state are organizing a commemoration event near the Holocaust Memorial (situated in the downtown of Yerevan), devoted to the International Holocaust Remembrance day.
In his speeches on different occasions President of Armenia is touching the issue of Holocaust.
There is no reference to the Holocaust in the Genocide Memorial Museum in Yerevan. There is only a reference to Hitler’s speech at Obersalzburg on August 22, 1939, because there he used the following statement: “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?”
Specialised institution, commission, research centre etc., dealing with this issue
According to the available information, there is no specialised institution, commission or research centre specifically dealing with the issue of the Roma Genocide.
Genocide Memorial Museum in Yerevan
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Yerevan
Official initiatives (campaigns, actions, projects, commemoration days, museums)
The 24th April is the National Genocide Memorial Day in Armenia.
Remembrance day
24th April is the National Genocide Memorial Day in Armenia.
Roma are not in the state’s official definition of the Holocaust. According to the OSCE report, the Holocaust is defined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as ‘the attempted murder of the Jewish people by the Nazi Germany regime” (See Education on the Holocaust and on Anti-Semitism, page 68).
Teaching about the Roma Genocide
Inclusion of the topic in the school curriculum
The Holocaust forms part of the school curriculum on European history and World War II. Specifically, Holocaust education occurs during the 8thgrade of elementary school (at age 14 or 15). Approximately one hour is allocated to the introduction of the topic to students.
Inclusion of the topic in the school textbooks
Genocide and Holocaust teaching materials are occasionally used in literature and language classes; however, material must be adapted to particular teaching needs since specific textbooks on the Holocaust are not used. To this end, state authorities have expressed the need for re-editing social-sciences textbooks at all levels, in the framework of teaching about the Holocaust.
Training of teachers and education professionals
Teachers are not provided with fixed in-service training on the subject of Holocaust education. However, according to the OSCE Report (Education on the Holocaust and on Anti-Semitism, page 53): “Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Moldova are an example of just how successful international support can be. In 2003-2004, within the project ‘Tolerance Lessons of the Holocaust’, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress trained teachers from the above-mentioned countries on how to teach about the Holocaust. Experts from Moscow, Kyiv, and Bishkek delivered lectures and headed workshops focusing on methods for teaching about tolerance and the Holocaust. The teachers also received didactic materials.” There was no information regarding Roma in the trainings. In 2003, some 40 Armenian teachers participated in this training.
In July 2014, two training sessions for journalists and teachers were organized at Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. A lecture was provided about the issues of Armenian Genocide teaching in comparison with Holocaust teaching. In Autumn 2014 a training was organized at Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (together with Holocaust Fund of Russia and Moscow Holocaust Center) on Holocaust teaching issues, where a presentation was made on the issues of Holocaust teaching in Armenian schools.
Particular activities undertaken at the level of education institutions
There is no information available about particular activities undertaken at the level of education institutions.
Initiatives of the civil society
The project “Equal Opportunities for National Minorities and Disadvantaged Groups in Realizing Cultural Rights: Richness through Diversity” started in 2012. More information about the project can be found on the NGO Centre website.
Educational material
The New York State Board of Education teachers guide (pp. 4268) provides handouts and a plan for high school students to learn about the Armenian Genocide. The manual also contains copies of the Ottoman government's deportation documents. Published, 1985.
Information material
CETIN, Fethiye: “Mojta baba” (My grandmother: A Memoir), novel, Turkey, 2008, published by Verso.
Scientific publications
PETROVA, D.: "The Roma: Between a myth and the future", Social Research, spring 2003
To determine the numbers of the Armenian Gypsies, called Bosha or Lom people, is practically impossible. However, by approximation, they can amount to a few thousand persons in Armenia and Georgia. It is not known if Lom people were persecuted in Armenia during the Second World War. It seems that the armenisation of Bosha was done by the early 19th century as per article “GYPSIES AND TATS” at the TourArmenia Guide Book site.
Armenia is more inclined to learn about Armenian Genocide that happened in the beginning of 20th century as described in the following article.