The Armenian population organized many Armenian events such as cultural festivals, pilgrimages or ceremonies. Most of these events were held in the lands of Greater Armenia, Cilicia, Nakhichevan, Armenia, and Artsakh. In addition, more distant towns such as Baku, Tiflis and Constantinople had many celebrations. From the 1920s, the Armenian survivors remained active and continued to organize Armenian cultural and social events. Major Armenian events took place before, during and after the Genocide. The Armenians defended their families and their nation against massacres, invasions and genocidal plans. These decisive battles such as the Second Zeytun Resistance, the Defense of Van, Sardarabad or Arara laid the spiritual foundations of the First Republic of Armenia.