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ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY PARTICIPATES IN DREAM FOR DARFUR OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY IN WASHINGTON
armradio.am
11.12.2007 18:05
The Armenian Assembly of America joined actress Mia Farrow, Olympian
Joey Cheek, and other human rights activists in Washington, DC today
for the final Olympic Torch Relay in the United States. The Assembly's
participation in today's event, which coincides with International
Human Rights Day, is part of the organization's ongoing commitment
to increase awareness of past and current genocides.
Farrow, who participated in today's relay, has been active in the
Olympic Dream for Darfur campaign since its inception.
"I have passed through these countries that have experienced genocide,"
Farrow told the Armenian Assembly. "The one common thing is 'how did
this happen?'"
Farrow said that education is the key to genocide prevention.
"As the world community marks International Human Rights Day, it
important to remember all instances of man's inhumanity to man,
including the attempted annihilation of the Armenian people in
1915," said Assembly Board of Trustees Public Affairs Chair Anthony
Barsamian. "The Dream for Dafur campaign reminds us all that in order
to prevent future atrocities, we must first acknowledge the crimes
of the past."
The Dream for Darfur relay began at the United
StatesHolocaustMemorialMuseum and made its way to the White House and
the Sudanese Embassy, before ending at the Chinese Embassy. Washington,
DC is the final stop of the U.S. portion of the relay which began
internationally on August 9th near the Darfur border, exactly one
year before the summer Olympics, to call attention to the constructive
role that China could play in the Darfur crisis. With the support of
activists, actors and athletes, torch lighting ceremonies have also
been held at sites where genocide has occurred, including Armenia,
Rwanda, Bosnia, Germany, and Cambodia.
"We know that there will be tragedy and immense suffering going on
during the Olympic games unless the Olympic hosts acts now to see
there is security in Darfur," said Jill Savitt, Director of Dream
for Darfur. "It would be an international shame to permit the host
nation of the Olympic games to glorify itself on the world stage
while underwriting and profiting from a genocide."
Jirair Ratevosian, an activist who works closely with the Armenian
Assembly and is co-chair of Massachusetts Dream for Darfur, also
spoke at this final U.S. event.
"Ottoman Turks systematically slaughtered and fatally deported
millions of Armenians from 1915 to 1923, including my own
great-grandparents. The massacres of 1.5 million Armenians was the
first true genocide of the 20th century and as you all know- it was
not the only one," said Ratevosian.
"This is why it's crucial that our own government call the Armenian
Genocide by its proper name, so we may better learn to recognize
genocide, stop genocide and prevent genocide in the future."
As a member of the Save Darfur Coalition, the Assembly has played a
leading role in the Olympic Torch Relay. In September, the Assembly
organized an event at the Tsitsernakabert Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
where the torch was lit from the eternal flame and was passed among
survivors of genocide in remembrance of all those who lost their
lives in Darfur and in previous atrocities. His Holiness Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan
Williams were among those who participated in the Yerevan ceremony.
The U.S. leg of the relay kicked off on September 9th and events have
taken place in 60 cities, including Cambridge, Massachusetts, where
the Assembly participated in the torch-lighting ceremony led by the
Catholicos at HolyTrinityArmenianApostolicChurch. The torch was later
taken to City Hall Plaza in Boston for the concluding torch-lighting
ceremony with communities from around the state by Archbishop Vicken
Aykazian, president of the National Council of Churches in the USA
and Legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
(Eastern).
Dream for Darfur, a global advocacy campaign, organized the Olympic
Torch Relay which aims to use the Olympic ideals of peace and
international cooperation to raise awareness of Darfur as a step
towards building an international anti-genocide movement for the
future.
armradio.am
11.12.2007 18:05
The Armenian Assembly of America joined actress Mia Farrow, Olympian
Joey Cheek, and other human rights activists in Washington, DC today
for the final Olympic Torch Relay in the United States. The Assembly's
participation in today's event, which coincides with International
Human Rights Day, is part of the organization's ongoing commitment
to increase awareness of past and current genocides.
Farrow, who participated in today's relay, has been active in the
Olympic Dream for Darfur campaign since its inception.
"I have passed through these countries that have experienced genocide,"
Farrow told the Armenian Assembly. "The one common thing is 'how did
this happen?'"
Farrow said that education is the key to genocide prevention.
"As the world community marks International Human Rights Day, it
important to remember all instances of man's inhumanity to man,
including the attempted annihilation of the Armenian people in
1915," said Assembly Board of Trustees Public Affairs Chair Anthony
Barsamian. "The Dream for Dafur campaign reminds us all that in order
to prevent future atrocities, we must first acknowledge the crimes
of the past."
The Dream for Darfur relay began at the United
StatesHolocaustMemorialMuseum and made its way to the White House and
the Sudanese Embassy, before ending at the Chinese Embassy. Washington,
DC is the final stop of the U.S. portion of the relay which began
internationally on August 9th near the Darfur border, exactly one
year before the summer Olympics, to call attention to the constructive
role that China could play in the Darfur crisis. With the support of
activists, actors and athletes, torch lighting ceremonies have also
been held at sites where genocide has occurred, including Armenia,
Rwanda, Bosnia, Germany, and Cambodia.
"We know that there will be tragedy and immense suffering going on
during the Olympic games unless the Olympic hosts acts now to see
there is security in Darfur," said Jill Savitt, Director of Dream
for Darfur. "It would be an international shame to permit the host
nation of the Olympic games to glorify itself on the world stage
while underwriting and profiting from a genocide."
Jirair Ratevosian, an activist who works closely with the Armenian
Assembly and is co-chair of Massachusetts Dream for Darfur, also
spoke at this final U.S. event.
"Ottoman Turks systematically slaughtered and fatally deported
millions of Armenians from 1915 to 1923, including my own
great-grandparents. The massacres of 1.5 million Armenians was the
first true genocide of the 20th century and as you all know- it was
not the only one," said Ratevosian.
"This is why it's crucial that our own government call the Armenian
Genocide by its proper name, so we may better learn to recognize
genocide, stop genocide and prevent genocide in the future."
As a member of the Save Darfur Coalition, the Assembly has played a
leading role in the Olympic Torch Relay. In September, the Assembly
organized an event at the Tsitsernakabert Genocide Memorial in Yerevan,
where the torch was lit from the eternal flame and was passed among
survivors of genocide in remembrance of all those who lost their
lives in Darfur and in previous atrocities. His Holiness Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan
Williams were among those who participated in the Yerevan ceremony.
The U.S. leg of the relay kicked off on September 9th and events have
taken place in 60 cities, including Cambridge, Massachusetts, where
the Assembly participated in the torch-lighting ceremony led by the
Catholicos at HolyTrinityArmenianApostolicChurch. The torch was later
taken to City Hall Plaza in Boston for the concluding torch-lighting
ceremony with communities from around the state by Archbishop Vicken
Aykazian, president of the National Council of Churches in the USA
and Legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
(Eastern).
Dream for Darfur, a global advocacy campaign, organized the Olympic
Torch Relay which aims to use the Olympic ideals of peace and
international cooperation to raise awareness of Darfur as a step
towards building an international anti-genocide movement for the
future.