Armenian genocide anniversary marked with Ottawa rally, march

Thousands of people are gathering on Parliament Hill this afternoon and will march through Ottawa's downtown streets to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

On April 24, 1915, Ottoman authorities in what is now present-day Turkey began rounding up and executing Armenians under their rule.

An estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed.

Millions of people around the world mark April 24 as the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day and more than 20 countries, including Canada, recognize the slaughter of Armenians during the First World War as genocide.

A vigil was held Thursday night at the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights monument on Elgin Street, where about 100 people gathered.

"Rememberinggenocidesand commemorating them is one important step towards making sure thatgenocidesand human rights atrocities around the world do not happen again," saidDaronKeskinian, chair ofthe Armenian Youth Federation of Canada, at the vigil.

Rally began on Hill at noon

A rally in Ottawa beganon Parliament Hill Friday at noon.

The crowds areexpected to march along Wellington, Rideau and Cobourg streets from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., to the Turkish embassy.

Traffic congestion and delays are expected in the downtown core.

Rolling road closures will be in effect along the march route, Ottawa police said.