Although the exact events of this period remain somewhat difficult to definitively ascertain. we are certain of the enormous scope of the suffering faced by all inhabitants of the region. Seventysix years later. Armenians around the world still have reason to be concerned about the conditions in their homeland. In Soviet Armenia. pollution has become a serious and deadly threat to the wellbeing of the population. Political unrest and conflict in the region continue. forcing tens of thousands to flee. The result is a refugee crisis in Moscow and other Soviet cities. We cannot forget the tragic earthquake which claimed thousands of lives. effects of which are still readily apparent today. The lessons of the Armenian genocide must not be lost on the world.