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ARMENIANS ACROSS AUSTRALIA RENEW CALLS FOR JUSTICE
Armenian Weekly
May 15, 2012
More than 2,500 Armenian-Australians honored the memory of the victims
of the Armenian Genocide and demanded justice for the Armenian nation
during a series of events held across Australia as part of Armenian
Genocide Commemorative Week.
The audience during the National Armenian Genocide Comemmoration The
National Armenian Genocide Commemoration observed at the Willoughby
Concourse Concert Hall on Tues., April 24 saw a record turnout of
more than 1,000 community members who were joined by a multitude of
state and federal MPs from across the political spectrum, as well as
descendant of survivors of the Greek and Assyrian Genocides.
Keynote speaker Professor Henry Theriault, chair of the philosophy
department at Worcester State University, delivered a powerful
speech on the ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide for the
present-day Republic of Armenia as well as the Armenian Diaspora.
Theriault advocated the importance of reparations, including land
reparations, to the Armenian nation as a long-term and just resolution
of the Armenian Genocide.
"A big part of the reason for the prevalence of poverty in Armenia
today and the ongoing threat to Armenia's future sustainability goes
back to the genocide," said Theriault.
"The lives lost during the genocide, the generations they were
never able to bear, the wealth confiscated in the form of land and
institutional and individual property and belongings, have led to a
significant power differential between a Turkish state strengthened
as a result of the genocide and a weakened Armenia," he said.
Theriault also discussed the mass violence committed against Armenian
women during the genocide in a comparative context. Recalling examples
of similar injustices against the comfort women of World War II and
women in Sudan, Congo, and other places, he highlighted the legacy
of such violence committed during the Armenian Genocide on these
subsequent events.
The National Armenian Genocide Commemoration also provided a platform
for Australian elected representatives to lend their support for
Australian recognition of the genocide. The Honorable Joe Hockey, MP,
shadow treasurer; the Honorable John Ajaka, NSW MLC, parliamentary
secretary for roads and transport; the Honorable Walt Secord, NSW MLC;
the Honorable David Shoebridge, NSW MLC, all pledged their support
to the Armenian-Australian community in their quest for Australian
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Prof. Henry Theriault A significant number of both Federal and State
MPs also sent statements of support to the Armenian-Australian
community. Several of these were read during the National
Commemoration, including statements by the Honorable Tony Abbott, MP,
leader of the opposition; Senator Nick Xenophon; Michelle Roland,
MP, member for Greenway; the Honorable Barry O'Farrel, MP, premier
of New South Wales; and the Honorable John Robertson, MP, leader of
the New South Wales opposition.
In his commemoration address, the executive director of the Armenian
National Committee of Australia, Varant Meguerditchian spoke about
the irreversible momentum achieved in Australia in the last few years
for the Australian recognition of the genocide.
The program for the event also included a musical performance of
"Dle Yaman" and the screening of a documentary by Armenian-Australian
filmmaker Shahane Bekarian on the tragic yet triumphant life journey
of his grandfather, genocide survivor Boghos Tavrayan.
Commenting on the event, Meguerditchian said, "The National Armenian
Genocide Commemoration was a major success characterized by outstanding
grassroots support, decisive political leadership and brilliant
academic insight."
"To all who were present, thank you for your support. The road toward
true justice is long, but a resolution is near. Let us remain united
in our struggle for a just and more peaceful world," he added.
The Armenian Genocide Commemorative Week in Australia started with a
commemorative evening in Western Sydney on Fri., April 20. Keynote
speaker Dr. Panayiotis Diamadis of the Australian Institute of
Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS) spoke to some 300 members
of the region's Armenian community about how laying witness to the
Armenian Genocide played a crucial role in Raphael Lemkin's efforts
to coin the word "genocide."
Another 150 members of the Armenian-Australian community attended
the City of Ryde memorial at the plaque erected by the Council in
Meadowbank on Sat., April 21.
ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian In Melbourne,
400 members of the Armenian Australian community were joined by Jenny
Mikakos, MP, and the Honorable Coleen Hartland, VIC MLC, in observing
the 97th anniversary of the genocide on Sun., April 22.
On Mon., April 23 over 250 Sydney-Armenians attended the prayer and
wreath laying ceremony at the Armenian Genocide monument in the Peace
Garden of the NSW State Parliament House. The Wreath Laying Ceremony
was followed by the AIHGS Armenian Genocide Commemorative Lecture,
delivered by Theriault.
Parallel to the National Armenian Genocide Commemoration, 50 members
of the small Armenian community of Adelaide gathered at the city's
Immigration Museum to pay respect to the memory of the victims. Tony
Zappia, MP, federal member for Makin, and the Honorable Michael
Atkinson, MP, joined the community members in their remembrance.
Armenian Weekly
May 15, 2012
More than 2,500 Armenian-Australians honored the memory of the victims
of the Armenian Genocide and demanded justice for the Armenian nation
during a series of events held across Australia as part of Armenian
Genocide Commemorative Week.
The audience during the National Armenian Genocide Comemmoration The
National Armenian Genocide Commemoration observed at the Willoughby
Concourse Concert Hall on Tues., April 24 saw a record turnout of
more than 1,000 community members who were joined by a multitude of
state and federal MPs from across the political spectrum, as well as
descendant of survivors of the Greek and Assyrian Genocides.
Keynote speaker Professor Henry Theriault, chair of the philosophy
department at Worcester State University, delivered a powerful
speech on the ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide for the
present-day Republic of Armenia as well as the Armenian Diaspora.
Theriault advocated the importance of reparations, including land
reparations, to the Armenian nation as a long-term and just resolution
of the Armenian Genocide.
"A big part of the reason for the prevalence of poverty in Armenia
today and the ongoing threat to Armenia's future sustainability goes
back to the genocide," said Theriault.
"The lives lost during the genocide, the generations they were
never able to bear, the wealth confiscated in the form of land and
institutional and individual property and belongings, have led to a
significant power differential between a Turkish state strengthened
as a result of the genocide and a weakened Armenia," he said.
Theriault also discussed the mass violence committed against Armenian
women during the genocide in a comparative context. Recalling examples
of similar injustices against the comfort women of World War II and
women in Sudan, Congo, and other places, he highlighted the legacy
of such violence committed during the Armenian Genocide on these
subsequent events.
The National Armenian Genocide Commemoration also provided a platform
for Australian elected representatives to lend their support for
Australian recognition of the genocide. The Honorable Joe Hockey, MP,
shadow treasurer; the Honorable John Ajaka, NSW MLC, parliamentary
secretary for roads and transport; the Honorable Walt Secord, NSW MLC;
the Honorable David Shoebridge, NSW MLC, all pledged their support
to the Armenian-Australian community in their quest for Australian
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Prof. Henry Theriault A significant number of both Federal and State
MPs also sent statements of support to the Armenian-Australian
community. Several of these were read during the National
Commemoration, including statements by the Honorable Tony Abbott, MP,
leader of the opposition; Senator Nick Xenophon; Michelle Roland,
MP, member for Greenway; the Honorable Barry O'Farrel, MP, premier
of New South Wales; and the Honorable John Robertson, MP, leader of
the New South Wales opposition.
In his commemoration address, the executive director of the Armenian
National Committee of Australia, Varant Meguerditchian spoke about
the irreversible momentum achieved in Australia in the last few years
for the Australian recognition of the genocide.
The program for the event also included a musical performance of
"Dle Yaman" and the screening of a documentary by Armenian-Australian
filmmaker Shahane Bekarian on the tragic yet triumphant life journey
of his grandfather, genocide survivor Boghos Tavrayan.
Commenting on the event, Meguerditchian said, "The National Armenian
Genocide Commemoration was a major success characterized by outstanding
grassroots support, decisive political leadership and brilliant
academic insight."
"To all who were present, thank you for your support. The road toward
true justice is long, but a resolution is near. Let us remain united
in our struggle for a just and more peaceful world," he added.
The Armenian Genocide Commemorative Week in Australia started with a
commemorative evening in Western Sydney on Fri., April 20. Keynote
speaker Dr. Panayiotis Diamadis of the Australian Institute of
Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS) spoke to some 300 members
of the region's Armenian community about how laying witness to the
Armenian Genocide played a crucial role in Raphael Lemkin's efforts
to coin the word "genocide."
Another 150 members of the Armenian-Australian community attended
the City of Ryde memorial at the plaque erected by the Council in
Meadowbank on Sat., April 21.
ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian In Melbourne,
400 members of the Armenian Australian community were joined by Jenny
Mikakos, MP, and the Honorable Coleen Hartland, VIC MLC, in observing
the 97th anniversary of the genocide on Sun., April 22.
On Mon., April 23 over 250 Sydney-Armenians attended the prayer and
wreath laying ceremony at the Armenian Genocide monument in the Peace
Garden of the NSW State Parliament House. The Wreath Laying Ceremony
was followed by the AIHGS Armenian Genocide Commemorative Lecture,
delivered by Theriault.
Parallel to the National Armenian Genocide Commemoration, 50 members
of the small Armenian community of Adelaide gathered at the city's
Immigration Museum to pay respect to the memory of the victims. Tony
Zappia, MP, federal member for Makin, and the Honorable Michael
Atkinson, MP, joined the community members in their remembrance.