Photo Exhibition on Missing Persons opens

A photo exhibition opens today in Yerevan with the aim of raising public attention about the issue of persons missing as a result of armed conflicts or internal violence.The exhibition features photos from conflict areas throughout the world, and also shows families of persons unaccounted for in relation to the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.

" Helping reunify family members separated due to conflict or returning mortal remains has been a constant focus of the ICRC delegations in Yerevan and Baku as well as the ICRC mission in Nagorny Karabakh " , says Yves Arnoldy, Head of the ICRC delegation in Armenia. " To this day, there remain nearly 4,300 missing persons in relation to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict whose fate is unresolved and whose families therefore live in the anguish of uncertainty. We hope that this exhibition will create better understanding amongst the population that this issue affects people on all sides and needs to be addressed " .

Since 1992, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been working on the issue of the missing in relation to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, helping the authorities to search for information and answers to transmit to the families. " However, the responsibility to clarify the issue of missing persons remains with the authorities and results will obviously depend on the political will of all parties to drive this process forward " , says Yves Arnoldy.

The exhibition is organised by the ICRC at the " Academia " gallery, 24, Bagramyan Avenue and will run daily until July 6 (except July 1) from 10 am to 6 pm .  

 For further information, please contact Ashot Astabatsyan  

 ICRC Yerevan, tel: +374 10 29 74 15