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Club of Young Diplomats to Host Harut Sassounian at YSU

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  • Club of Young Diplomats to Host Harut Sassounian at YSU

    Club of Young Diplomats
    Yerevan State University
    1 Alex Manoogian str., Suite 29
    Yerevan, 375049, Armenia
    Tel: (3741) 554612
    E-mail: [email protected]

    PRESS RELEASE
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    May 10, 2004
    Contact: Erik Grigoryan
    Email: [email protected]


    Club of Young Diplomats to host Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier


    Yerevan - The Club of Young Diplomats at Yerevan State University
    (YSU) will host Mr. Harut Sassounian, the publisher of The California
    Courier, on Wednesday May 12, at 2 pm, at Charents Hall (YSU Linguist's
    Building, 2nd floor).

    Mr. Sassounian will discuss a wide range of issues, including the
    campaign against the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the British
    Ambassador to Armenia and lobbying for the recognition of the Genocide
    in the U.S. and worldwide. He will focus on political issues of
    special interest to the students during the question and answer period.

    "It will be a great honor and a pleasure to host Mr. Sassounian at
    our Alma Mater and have him share with us his exceptional experience
    as a political activist, lobbyist, columnist and community leader,"
    said the President of the Club, Erik Grigoryan. "We are thrilled that
    he was able to find time in his extremely busy schedule to speak to
    the students of Yerevan State University," Grigoryan added.

    The British Ambassador to Armenia made false and offensive statements
    on the Armenian Genocide during a press conference marking the
    first anniversary of her diplomatic posting in Armenia on January
    20. Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt was reported as saying: "Great
    Britain accepts that the events of 1915 were mass killings (of the
    Armenian population), the responsible for which are the Turks. I see
    no problem calling it brutality. It shouldn't have taken place even
    in the course of war. But, I do not think that recognizing the events
    as genocide would be of much use."

    The Club of Young Diplomats of Yerevan State University joined
    the worldwide campaign initiated by Harut Sassounian against the
    British Envoy's denial. The website, http://campaign.nt.am or
    http://uk-denial.armenianhouse.org was launched to post the latest
    developments on this issue as well as letters, articles, and other
    relevant documents. The Club issued a press release calling on the
    British Ambassador to apologize for her statement and urged the Foreign
    Minister of Armenia to take a more resolute stand on this issue.

    Mr. Sassounian has a life-long involvement in various Armenian
    causes. As the representative of a non-governmental organization in
    Geneva Switzerland, he was part of a small team of Armenian activists
    who lobbied for years until the successful recognition of the Armenian
    Genocide by the United Nations in 1985. His political commentaries are
    reprinted in Armenian and non-Armenian newspapersthroughout the world.

    Mr. Sassounian formed the United Armenian Fund, a coalition of
    seven major Armenian-American organizations, to provide humanitarian
    aid to Armenia in a coordinated manner after the Spitak Earthquake
    of 1988. In the past 15 years, the UAF has shipped to Armenia $387
    million worth of assistance. In addition, as the Vice-Chairman of The
    Lincy Foundation, he has helped oversee the implementation of $170
    million of infrastructure and lending projects in Armenia. He holds
    a degree in International Relations from Columbia University in New
    York and an MBA from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.

    The Club of Young Diplomats at YSU is a member of confederation of the
    student Clubs working under the YSU Trade-Union devoted to empowering
    students through education and research in global developments,
    foreign policy, governance, security issues and social sciences
    by constructing a foundation of knowledge and shaping the public
    dialogue among the students. For further information on the Club
    and its activities, call (374-1) 554612 or email: [email protected].
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