Lebanon will have a new national stamp released to commemorate the Armenian Genocide [1]. Announcing it on Twitter, Minister of Telecommunications Nicolas Sehnaoui stressed the symbolic importance of the stamp:
Today we signed the order to launch the production of a new national stamp honoring all the victims of the Armenian Genocide
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014 [2]
This stamp which will be on envelopes sent to all corners of the globe will be our shout-out to the world to recognize the Armenian Genocide
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014 [3]
It is also a statement to our fellow Armenian citizens that they are a core component of our Lebanese society and that we are proud of them
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014 [4]
Photo of the new stamp which will be produced in memory of the Armenian Genocide pic.twitter.com/AGB0pKOebn [5]
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014 [6]
An estimated 1 to 1.5 million Armenians were killed in present-day Turkey (then under Ottoman rule), starting from April 1915, in what became known as the Armenian genocide.
Armenian activists and supporters have taken this opportunity to remind the world of the importance of recognizing the Armenian Genocide:
@NicolaSehnaoui [7] thank you for honoring the victims of the genocide, a devastating chapter in the history of the 20th century.
— nanor (@nanor) January 28, 2014 [8]
Should be used on the turkish embassy's docs ;) “@NicolaSehnaoui [7]: the new stamp in memory of the Armenian Genocide pic.twitter.com/QXLR9rlSrR [9]”
— Adham Hassanieh (@AdhamMG) January 28, 2014 [10]
@NicolaSehnaoui [7] I am sending envelopes to turkey with such stamps
— Sari Aquismaia Árab (@Aquismaia21) January 28, 2014 [11]
@NicolaSehnaoui [7] thank you dear for your contribution to the #ArmenianCause [12] #RecognizeArmenianGenocide [13]
— Garo Beujekian (@GaroBeujekian) January 28, 2014 [14]
London-based historian Rory Yeomans notes its historic importance:
@NicolaSehnaoui [7] @Zinvor [15] So much for Hitler's boast: “Who now remembers the Armenians?” The whole world, it seems :) #NeverForget [16]
— Rory Yeomans (@roryyeomans) January 29, 2014 [17]
Turkish Twitter user Mehmet Kosucu thinks otherwise:
@MFATurkey [18] @NicolaSehnaoui [7] Please warn with this hostile minister in Lebanon,who thinks hostility towards TR is very easy.
— Mehmet Kosucu (@MehmetKosucu) January 29, 2014 [19]