The city of Alboraya has become the 43rd municipality in Spain to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, joining a growing list of Spanish municipalities that have acknowledged the atrocities committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as crimes against humanity. The declaration was unanimously adopted by the Alboraya City Council, with representatives from six political parties — the Socialist Party (PSOE), Compromís, the People’s Party (PP), VOX, Alboraya Actúa, and the United Left–Podemos coalition (Esquerra Unida–Unides Podem per Alboraya) — all voting in favor of the motion.
The motion was introduced by the Spanish Armenian Union “Ararat” and submitted by Compromís. It was presented to the council by party spokesperson Conxa (Concha) Villena Sierra, who briefly outlined the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide. She emphasized the importance of acknowledging such crimes by their proper name and officially recognizing them to honor truth and justice.
Representatives from across the political spectrum echoed her sentiments, condemning the atrocities committed by the Ottoman Empire and stressing the need for broader international recognition by all countries and reparations from present-day Turkey (Turkiye) for the inflicted harm.
The session was attended by Ararat Ghukasyan, President of the Armenian Union “Ararat,” who thanked the council for their principled stance. “What matters most is that in the face of crimes against humanity, political differences and ideologies are set aside to stand united against injustice,” Ghukasyan said. He also noted that Alboraya’s city officials had expressed readiness to support the Armenian community in Spain in bringing this issue to other governing bodies, including the Spanish Parliament.
The Ararat Armenian Association was founded on September 1, 2004, in Valencia, Spain, stemming from the establishment of the local Armenian Sunday school. Since its founding, the association has played an active role in promoting Armenian cultural heritage and advocating for genocide recognition across Spain.
