Dear Friends,

IL is a great pleasure to welcome everyone gathered to honor the 27th Anniversary of the Khojaly Massacre Exhibit, hosted by the Association of International Relations and the Azerbaijan Society of America in conjunction with the Office of Congressman Donald M, Payne, Jr.

When paint is put to canvas the result is a physical representation of an artist’s thoughts, feelings and memories. Each of the 40 paintings on display today allows us the opportunity to peak into the memories of the brave refugee children who survived the tragedy of the Khojaly Massacre and reflect upon the many lives that were cut short by this conflict. In keeping their memory alive, we are making the choice to always honor those lives lost and to never let the lessons we learned from this tragedy be forgotten.

I applaud all those in attendance today for their commitment to the recognition and veneration of the victims of the Khojaly Massacre. Best wishes for a memorable event.

My very best,

Philip D. Murphy

Governor