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AAA: Assembly, AGBU, W. Diocese Together for CA Genocide Remembrance

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  • AAA: Assembly, AGBU, W. Diocese Together for CA Genocide Remembrance

    Armenian Assembly of America
    122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
    Washington, DC 20001
    Phone: 202-393-3434
    Fax: 202-638-4904
    Email: [email protected]
    Web: www.armenianassembly.org

    PRESS RELEASE
    May 4, 2004
    CONTACT: David Zenian
    E-mail: [email protected]

    ASSEMBLY, AGBU AND WESTERN DIOCESE:
    TOGETHER AT CALIFORNIA ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

    Los Angeles, CA - A joint delegation representing the Armenian Assembly, the
    Southern California District of the AGBU and the Western Diocese of the
    Armenian Church joined members of the California State Assembly in
    Sacramento last week in marking the 89th anniversary of the Armenian
    Genocide.

    Traveling from Los Angeles to Sacramento as a single delegation to
    participate in the annual "California Day of Remembrance for the Armenian
    Genocide of 1915-1923" further reinforced the unity of purpose by the three
    major non-partisan Armenian organizations which emerged from their
    cooperation at the Assembly's three-day National Conference and Banquet in
    Washington earlier this month - the largest such advocacy gathering in the
    nation's capital.

    The National Conference and Banquet brought together hundreds of activists
    from across the United States to Washington to advocate for issues of
    importance for not only the Armenian-American community, but for Armenia and
    Nagorno Karabakh.

    "I am happy we have a coalition with the AGBU, the Armenian Assembly and the
    Diocese and that we are speaking with one voice again today in Sacramento,"
    said Primate of the Western Diocese Archbishop Hovnan Derderian at a
    luncheon with State Assembly members.

    "The AGBU, with its strong network of chapters and schools, is committed to
    serving the Armenian-American community at the local and state level," AGBU
    Southern California District Chairman Vahe Imasdounian said.

    Archbishop Derderian, who led the special opening prayer at the State
    Assembly, was joined at the California Day of Remembrance event by Assembly
    Western Office Chairman Richard Mushegain, Board of Directors member Lisa
    Kalustian, Assembly Western Office Director Lena Kaimian, Western Office
    Deputy Director Nicole Shahenian and AGBU Southern California District
    Chairman Vahe Imasdounian.

    "I was very pleased by the response that our delegation received from the
    members of the State Legislature and the support for our cause," Mushegain
    said.

    In his homily, Archbishop Derderian said:

    "In our prayers we thank God for our many great friends in the California
    State Legislature who have stood with the Armenian-American community
    throughout the many years in reaffirming the record on the Armenian Genocide
    and establishing relations with Armenia."

    Following the Archbishop's prayer, several members of the California State
    Assembly also spoke and expressed their support for California Assembly
    Joint Resolution (AJR-73) which was introduced by Assemblyman Joseph
    Simitian (D-Palo Alto).

    Among them were California State Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer
    (D-Glendale) Assemblymen Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton), Carol Liu
    (D-LaCanada/Passadena), John Longville (D-San Bernardino) and Mark Wyland
    (R-Del Mar).

    After the unanimous passage of AJR-73, the delegation met with California's
    new speaker of the State Assembly Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles).

    California was one of the first States to affirm and recognize the Armenian
    Genocide and designate April 24 as a "Day of Remembrance for the Armenian
    Genocide of 1915-1923."

    This year, in a letter to State Senator and California Senate Education
    Committee Chairman John Vasconcellos, the Armenian Assembly advocated for
    the passage of a key resolution which would ensure that high school history
    and social science textbooks fairly and accurately portray human rights
    violations and historical atrocities of the 20th century.

    In her letter to Vasconcellos, Assembly Western office Director Lena Kaimian
    urged the committee to pass (California State) Assembly Concurrent
    Resolution 116 which will help provide "a fair and accurate age-appropriate
    portrayal of historical atrocities of the 20th century, including, but not
    limited to, the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923, the Rwandan Genocide of
    1994, and the Bosnian-Serbian human rights violations of the 1990s."

    Learning about these crimes, Kaimian said in her letter, "will instill in
    our students the importance of personal dignity and human rights."

    The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
    organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
    issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

    NR#2004-050

    Photograph available on the Assembly's Web site at the following link:

    http://www.aaainc.org/images/press/2004-050/2004-050-1.jpg
    CAPTION: L to R: Assembly Board Members Lisa Kalustian and Richard
    Mushegain, Assembly Western Office Deputy Director Nicole Shahenian, Rev.
    Yeghia Hairabedian, Sen. Charles Poochigian, Asm. Negret McLeod, Speaker
    Fabian Nunez, Arch. Hovan Derderian, Asm. Joseph Simitian, Asm. Carol Liu,
    AGBU Southern California District Chairman Vahe Imasdounian, and Assembly
    Western Office Director Lena Kaimian.
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