ISTANBUL—Hundreds gathered in Taksim Square Tuesday to commemorate the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, reported Today’s Zaman.

A sit-down gathering organized by the Say No to Racism and Nationalism initiative in Taksim Square was attended by a group of public figures, including wife of murdered journalist Hrant Dink, Rakel Dink; Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Istanbul deputies Sırrı Sureyya Onder and Sebahat Tuncel; former Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) head Ufuk Uras; journalists Oral Çalışlar, Hüseyin Hatemi and Hilal Kaplan as well as other intellectuals.

Protesters laid carnations in front of a banner that read, “This pain belongs to all of us.” Zişan Tokaç, who made a statement on behalf of the protesting group, said Armenians were sent into exile to places where they could not survive, recounting atrocities committed at that time.

Uras told reporters that Turkey will face its history and “shared pain” in building a 21st century democracy. He added that people from all walks of life were present at the sit-in protest.

Dink said Armenians had gone through things that she cannot even say aloud and that they are still facing similar problems. Meanwhile, two nationalist groups protested the gathering; however, police didn’t allow them to approach the group.