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Candlelight Vigil Draws Over 400 to Burbank City Hall

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  • Candlelight Vigil Draws Over 400 to Burbank City Hall

    Candlelight Vigil Draws Over 400 to Burbank City Hall

    Friday, May 7th, 2010
    by Asbarez


    Community members commemorate the Armenian Genocide at the steps of
    Burbank City Hall


    BURBANK, CA-The Armenian National Committee of Burbank (ANC Burbank)
    organized its annual candlelight vigil commemoration of the Armenian
    Genocide on Tuesday, April 27th. Over 400 people attended the event
    which took place on the steps of Burbank City Hall.

    `The ANC of Burbank hopes to renew the effort to not only commemorate
    the tragic events of this horrific time in our collective history, but
    to also reaffirm that in order to truly respect the lives lost we must
    acknowledge this truth at the national level,' noted Armond
    Aghakhanian, the chair of the event's organizing committee. `Our
    community welcomes the continued support of the Burbank City Council
    in sustaining this fight to uphold the truth.'

    The vigil took place following the Burbank City Council session in
    chambers where Aghakhanian and Naira Chehras, a senior at Burbank High
    School, received a proclamation from City of Burbank Mayor Gary Bric,
    acknowledging the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

    Aghakhanian also thanked Mayor Bric for a letter he wrote to President
    Barack Obama highlighting the push for formal US reaffirmation of the
    Armenian Genocide.

    During the vigil, the crowd was addressed by several community leaders
    including Chehras, Zareh Sinanyan (ANC PAC), Michael Kiaman (ANC
    Burbank), Shahan Boghigian (Armenian Youth Federation `Varak' Burbank
    Chapter), and Aram Ohanian (ARF Badenagan `Kaytz' Chapter).

    The Armenian National Committee of Burbank advances the social,
    economic, cultural, and political rights of the area's Armenian
    American community and promotes increased Armenian American civic
    participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.

    ****

    FULL TEXT OF BURBANK MAYOR GARY BRIC'S LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA:

    Honorable Barack Obama
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    Washington, DC 20500

    Dear Mr. President:

    On April 27, 2010, the City of Burbank will recognize the Armenian
    Genocide Remembrance, and every year we are reminded that the United
    States of America is a champion of espousing human rights around the
    world, and as such, bears the responsibility to help ensure America's
    historic leadership and humanitarian values on which our country was
    founded, including the lessons learned from the past, are never
    forgotten.

    This year marks the ninety-fifth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide;
    which is an important issue to many of our constituents. Our
    legislative representatives including: Congressman Adam Schiff,
    Congressman Brad Sherman, Congressman Howard Berman, Senator Barbara
    Boxer and Senator Diane Feinstein, all support the formal recognition
    of the Armenian Genocide.

    Thank you for your consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Gary R. Bric
    Mayor, City of Burbank
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