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SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY COMMEMORATES GENOCIDE
Armenian Weekly
Wed, May 11 2011
BOCA RATON, Fla.-Last week, hundreds of members, friends, and human
rights activists from the South Florida Armenian American community
commemorated the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Florida
Atlantic University (FAU).
(L-R) Rev. Fr. Vartan Joulfayan, Dr. Mary Johnson, Dr. Rose Gatens,
and V. Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian.
This year's observance culminated the month-long display of the
21-panel Armenian Genocide exhibition on loan to FAU Libraries from
the Florida Holocaust Memorial Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla. The
exhibition displayed the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey during World War I. The panels showcased photographs,
quotes from witnesses, and the history and legacy of the genocide.
"It was truly inspirational to see South Florida Armenians from three
generations come together to honor their fallen ancestors of the
1915 Armenian Genocide," said Arsine Kaloustian-Rosenthal, Florida
Armenians public affairs director. "The importance of remembering,
the sharing of stories between families, and of course the FAU exhibit
itself, stands in the face of genocide denial and advances the cause
of genocide prevention," she said.
Armenians around the world commemorate the genocide on April 24,
when in 1915 Ottoman-Turkish authorities rounded up, arrested,
and murdered over 200 Armenian intellectuals in Istanbul. Over 1.5
million Armenian men, women, and children perished in 1915-23 in what
historians widely recognize as genocide.
Dr. Mary Johnson, senior historian with Facing History and Ourselves,
and curator of the Armenian Genocide exhibit, served as master of
ceremonies. Johnson opened the program with special thanks to Dr. Rose
Gatens, the director of the FAU Center for Holocaust and Human Rights
Education. Johnson spoke about her experiences teaching the Armenian
Genocide and the consequences of its denial.
"The response of the Armenian community to the exhibition on the
Armenian Genocide at Florida Atlantic University was incredible,"
Johnson told FLArmenians.com. "Visitors not only examined the panels
and the narrative of the history, but talked about the exhibition and
its implications for today. This ensures that the historical event
will be remembered and future generations will continue to tell the
story," she said.
On behalf of St. David Armenian Church, Garen Kalender, Rita Vartanian,
and Kaliana Maronian presented traditional Armenian poetry.
Albert Mazmanian offered remarks while his daughter Natalie recited
her self-composed poetry. A musical interlude was offered by local
talents from St. Mary's Armenian Church, with Sage McBride (violin)
and Marineh Alikhnyn (piano) performing the famous Armenian composition
"Groung" by Gomidas. A short screening from the upcoming film "Orphans
of the Genocide" was also presented by south Florida film producers
Bared Maronian, Bedo Der-Bedrosian, and Paul Andonian.
"Having the commemoration program and exhibition at FAU Library was
a wonderful opportunity to teach others about the origins and the
history of the Armenian Genocide, a major crime against humanity
committed by Ottoman Turks at the dawn of the 20th century," said V.
Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian. "We pray that the time will come when
justice will be served and Turkey will acknowledge its history,"
stated Fr. Berberian.
V. Rev. Fr. Berberian of St. David Armenian Church and Rev. Fr. Vartan
Joulfayan of St. Mary Armenian Church offered the memorial service
for the victims of the genocide. The South Florida Armenian Genocide
Commemoration was held under the auspices of St. David Armenian Church
of Boca Raton, St. Mary Armenian Church of Hollywood, the Armenian
Assembly of America, the Armenian National Committee, and the Knights
of Vartan.
Armenian Weekly
Wed, May 11 2011
BOCA RATON, Fla.-Last week, hundreds of members, friends, and human
rights activists from the South Florida Armenian American community
commemorated the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Florida
Atlantic University (FAU).
(L-R) Rev. Fr. Vartan Joulfayan, Dr. Mary Johnson, Dr. Rose Gatens,
and V. Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian.
This year's observance culminated the month-long display of the
21-panel Armenian Genocide exhibition on loan to FAU Libraries from
the Florida Holocaust Memorial Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla. The
exhibition displayed the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey during World War I. The panels showcased photographs,
quotes from witnesses, and the history and legacy of the genocide.
"It was truly inspirational to see South Florida Armenians from three
generations come together to honor their fallen ancestors of the
1915 Armenian Genocide," said Arsine Kaloustian-Rosenthal, Florida
Armenians public affairs director. "The importance of remembering,
the sharing of stories between families, and of course the FAU exhibit
itself, stands in the face of genocide denial and advances the cause
of genocide prevention," she said.
Armenians around the world commemorate the genocide on April 24,
when in 1915 Ottoman-Turkish authorities rounded up, arrested,
and murdered over 200 Armenian intellectuals in Istanbul. Over 1.5
million Armenian men, women, and children perished in 1915-23 in what
historians widely recognize as genocide.
Dr. Mary Johnson, senior historian with Facing History and Ourselves,
and curator of the Armenian Genocide exhibit, served as master of
ceremonies. Johnson opened the program with special thanks to Dr. Rose
Gatens, the director of the FAU Center for Holocaust and Human Rights
Education. Johnson spoke about her experiences teaching the Armenian
Genocide and the consequences of its denial.
"The response of the Armenian community to the exhibition on the
Armenian Genocide at Florida Atlantic University was incredible,"
Johnson told FLArmenians.com. "Visitors not only examined the panels
and the narrative of the history, but talked about the exhibition and
its implications for today. This ensures that the historical event
will be remembered and future generations will continue to tell the
story," she said.
On behalf of St. David Armenian Church, Garen Kalender, Rita Vartanian,
and Kaliana Maronian presented traditional Armenian poetry.
Albert Mazmanian offered remarks while his daughter Natalie recited
her self-composed poetry. A musical interlude was offered by local
talents from St. Mary's Armenian Church, with Sage McBride (violin)
and Marineh Alikhnyn (piano) performing the famous Armenian composition
"Groung" by Gomidas. A short screening from the upcoming film "Orphans
of the Genocide" was also presented by south Florida film producers
Bared Maronian, Bedo Der-Bedrosian, and Paul Andonian.
"Having the commemoration program and exhibition at FAU Library was
a wonderful opportunity to teach others about the origins and the
history of the Armenian Genocide, a major crime against humanity
committed by Ottoman Turks at the dawn of the 20th century," said V.
Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian. "We pray that the time will come when
justice will be served and Turkey will acknowledge its history,"
stated Fr. Berberian.
V. Rev. Fr. Berberian of St. David Armenian Church and Rev. Fr. Vartan
Joulfayan of St. Mary Armenian Church offered the memorial service
for the victims of the genocide. The South Florida Armenian Genocide
Commemoration was held under the auspices of St. David Armenian Church
of Boca Raton, St. Mary Armenian Church of Hollywood, the Armenian
Assembly of America, the Armenian National Committee, and the Knights
of Vartan.