“Flower Gathering” event takes place at the Genocide Memorial from April 27 to 28

Every year, following the days after April 24th, hundreds of thousands of flowers placed at the Genocide Memorial were transported to dumps and burned. Since 2010, on the initiative of FPWC, these flowers are recycled – their stems are removed from the petals. Compost is derived from the stems and the petals are used to make handmade paper. The compost is used to cultivate the soil in the Genocide Memorial, while the recycled papers are donated to the Genocide Museum to be used for memorandums, thank-you letters, and mail. Forty А3 size papers are produced from about one kilogram flower petals.

This event brings together two important ideas – the transformation of the flowers into silent messengers by giving them “second life”, and the environmental concept that promotes recycling.

Traditionally, participants of the “Flower Gathering” include representatives of public, international, private and state sectors, as well as volunteers, schoolchildren, and university students. The flower-gathering was attended also by the staff members of the initiating parties – FPWC and VivaCell-MTS.

This year, on the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the event lasts two days due to an expected rise in the number of visitors who will place huge amounts of flowers next to the eternal flame.

“The idea of recycling the flowers brought by people to Tsitsernakaberd is remarkable because it is innovative and fresh: it shows responsible approach towards the environment because the flowers are being recycled; it is respectful to people who brought them; and it also carries a beautiful symbolic element, as the petals of the flowers are turned into hand-made paper, which the Genocide Museum uses for gratitude cards and certificates. For this reason VivaCell-MTS is next to FPWC to support the realization of this initiative. I am glad to see many of VivaCell-MTS employees here volunteering to the event,” said VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.