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Armenian National Committee of Illinois
1701 North Greenwood Road
Glenview, IL 60026
Contact: Greg Bedian
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2005
St. Louis Mayor Designates April 24 "Armenian Martyrs Day"
St. Louis, MO - To mark the 90th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay issued
a proclamation designating April 24, 2005 as "Armenian
Martyrs Day" in the City of St. Louis. The
proclamation was officially presented to the
Armenian-American community on Sunday, April 24, at a
program commemorating the victims of the Armenian
Genocide held at the St. Gregory's Armenian Community
Center in Granite City, IL, a suburb of St. Louis.
"Armenian Americans across the Greater St. Louis area
are heartened by the Mayor's action," stated Greg
Bedian, Chairperson of the Armenian National Committee
of Illinois. "It means a great deal for our community
to know that the people of St. Louis, like those of so
many other cities and states around the country, are
standing shoulder to shoulder with Armenians worldwide
as we honor those who fell at the hands of the Turkish
government during the Genocide."
In his proclamation, the Mayor cites America's
tremendous efforts to aid survivors of the Armenian
Genocide, and describes how most Armenians in the US
are descendents of those survivors. He also describes
how, under the cover of WWI, the Turkish government
implemented a systematic plan to annihilate the
indigenous Armenian population of Turkey. From 1915
to 1923, over 1.5 million Armenians perished as a
result of massacre and deportation, resulting in the
complete erasure of over 3000 years of Armenian
existence an area which is now located in eastern
Turkey. Armenians traditionally commemorate the
Armenian Genocide on April 24 as it was the day when
the Turkish government set its plans into motion in
1915 by arresting several hundred prominent Armenians
including members of the Turkish parliament, newspaper
editors and political party leaders.
Armenian Americans in Illinois organized a series of
events throughout the state to mark the date when the
Turkish government began its systematic annihilation
of the indigenous Armenian population of Turkey. In
addition to the event in Granite City, numerous events
took place in other communities including Fairview
Heights, Chicago, Glenview, Waukegan, Evanston, Palos
Heights and Champaign-Urbana.
The Armenian National Committee of Illinois is a
grassroots public affairs organization serving to
inform, educate, and act on a wide range of issues
concerning Armenian Americans throughout the state of
Illinois.
---------------------------------------------
Text of Mayor Slay's Proclamation
---------------------------------------------
WH EREAS, the City of St. Louis has been apprised that
April 24, 2005, marks an important anniversary in the
annals of history; and
WHEREAS, it was on April 24, 1915, that an assault
began on the Armenian People in Constantinople; and
WHEREAS, between 1915 and 1923, nearly one and a half
million Armenian men, women, and children in the
Ottoman Empire were systematically sent to
concentration camps, where their lives were taken from
them; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America was the first
country to recognize the Armenian Genocide and raise
millions of dollars to aid the victims of it; and
WHEREAS, most Armenians in our great nation are the
children or grandchildren of the survivors of the
Armenian Genocide; and
WHEREAS, on this April 24th, the 90th Anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, the City of St. Louis joins
with Armenians around the world to remember those who
lost their lives and to honor the survivors of this
terrible campaign.
Now, therefore, I, Francis G. Slay, Mayor of the City
of St. Louis, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2005 as:
"ARMENIAN MARTYRS DAY"
IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
caused to be affixed the Seal of the City of St.
Louis, this 24th Day of April, A.D. 2005
###
1701 North Greenwood Road
Glenview, IL 60026
Contact: Greg Bedian
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2005
St. Louis Mayor Designates April 24 "Armenian Martyrs Day"
St. Louis, MO - To mark the 90th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay issued
a proclamation designating April 24, 2005 as "Armenian
Martyrs Day" in the City of St. Louis. The
proclamation was officially presented to the
Armenian-American community on Sunday, April 24, at a
program commemorating the victims of the Armenian
Genocide held at the St. Gregory's Armenian Community
Center in Granite City, IL, a suburb of St. Louis.
"Armenian Americans across the Greater St. Louis area
are heartened by the Mayor's action," stated Greg
Bedian, Chairperson of the Armenian National Committee
of Illinois. "It means a great deal for our community
to know that the people of St. Louis, like those of so
many other cities and states around the country, are
standing shoulder to shoulder with Armenians worldwide
as we honor those who fell at the hands of the Turkish
government during the Genocide."
In his proclamation, the Mayor cites America's
tremendous efforts to aid survivors of the Armenian
Genocide, and describes how most Armenians in the US
are descendents of those survivors. He also describes
how, under the cover of WWI, the Turkish government
implemented a systematic plan to annihilate the
indigenous Armenian population of Turkey. From 1915
to 1923, over 1.5 million Armenians perished as a
result of massacre and deportation, resulting in the
complete erasure of over 3000 years of Armenian
existence an area which is now located in eastern
Turkey. Armenians traditionally commemorate the
Armenian Genocide on April 24 as it was the day when
the Turkish government set its plans into motion in
1915 by arresting several hundred prominent Armenians
including members of the Turkish parliament, newspaper
editors and political party leaders.
Armenian Americans in Illinois organized a series of
events throughout the state to mark the date when the
Turkish government began its systematic annihilation
of the indigenous Armenian population of Turkey. In
addition to the event in Granite City, numerous events
took place in other communities including Fairview
Heights, Chicago, Glenview, Waukegan, Evanston, Palos
Heights and Champaign-Urbana.
The Armenian National Committee of Illinois is a
grassroots public affairs organization serving to
inform, educate, and act on a wide range of issues
concerning Armenian Americans throughout the state of
Illinois.
---------------------------------------------
Text of Mayor Slay's Proclamation
---------------------------------------------
WH EREAS, the City of St. Louis has been apprised that
April 24, 2005, marks an important anniversary in the
annals of history; and
WHEREAS, it was on April 24, 1915, that an assault
began on the Armenian People in Constantinople; and
WHEREAS, between 1915 and 1923, nearly one and a half
million Armenian men, women, and children in the
Ottoman Empire were systematically sent to
concentration camps, where their lives were taken from
them; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America was the first
country to recognize the Armenian Genocide and raise
millions of dollars to aid the victims of it; and
WHEREAS, most Armenians in our great nation are the
children or grandchildren of the survivors of the
Armenian Genocide; and
WHEREAS, on this April 24th, the 90th Anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, the City of St. Louis joins
with Armenians around the world to remember those who
lost their lives and to honor the survivors of this
terrible campaign.
Now, therefore, I, Francis G. Slay, Mayor of the City
of St. Louis, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2005 as:
"ARMENIAN MARTYRS DAY"
IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
caused to be affixed the Seal of the City of St.
Louis, this 24th Day of April, A.D. 2005
###