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PASADENA'S ARMENIANS SPLIT ON RIVAL GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCES, MEMORIAL PARK MONUMENT
Pasadena Star-News, CA
April 2 2013
By Brenda Gazzar, Staff Writer
PASADENA -- Divided Armenian community members are promoting two
rival Armenian genocide anniversary ceremonies in the city on April
24 and two competing ideas for a genocide monument to be erected in
Memorial Park.
The Pasadena chapter of the Armenian National Committee is organizing
a genocide anniversary ceremony at City Hall at 10 a.m. on April 24.
At the exact same time the Pasadena-based Armenian Community Coalition,
which in past years has held its remembrance ceremony at City Hall,
will commemorate the genocide with another ceremony at Memorial Park.
City officials said it's the first time that there have been two
conflicting Armenian genocide anniversary events.
"It's unfortunate that there appears to be competing events and, as
an outsider that is sensitive to what the event commemorates, I would
hope the groups can consolidate and join forces to commemorate it,"
Councilman Terry Tornek said. "If there's a dispute over the monument,
that's even worse. I would hope the community could pull together on
these important issues. "
Mayor Bill Bogaard said it would be preferable to have one ceremony
since two simultaneous events could reduce attendance.
Neither he nor Tornek will be in town that day.
>>From 1915 through 1923 as many as 1.5 million Armenians were slain
by the Ottoman Turks in what was then the Ottoman Empire. For more
than 30 years, the City Council has issued
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an annual proclamation commemorating the Armenian genocide on April 24,
Shoghig Yepremian, chairwoman of the Armenian National Committee's
Pasadena chapter, said her organization used to go in front of the
City Council every year to commemorate the anniversary but decided
this year to host a ceremony in front of City Hall.
"We have a larger community," she said.
Chatchik "Chris" Chahinian, chairman of the Armenian Community
Coalition, said his group started the City Hall commemoration and
has done it there for the past three years.
"It's very disappointing; this is not something that should happen,"
he said. "I believe the group that intends to do this copied our
tradition. It's going to hurt our cause and our community. "
Now there are also two competing plans for a genocide monument to
be erected in Memorial Park in time for the 100th anniversary of the
tragedy in 2015.
Chahinian's Armenian Community Coalition could be going head-to-head
with former Pasadena mayor Bill Paparian's Pasadena Armenian Genocide
Memorial Committee (PAGMC).
Both groups have been in contact with the city about their ideas for
a privately funded monument, and both say they are finalizing their
designs, Art Center College of Design student Catherine Menard was
selected by the PAGMC for its project; Vahram Hovagimyan has been
chosen to design the planned ACC monument.
Chahinian, a former Pasadena City Council candidate, first announced
the idea for a genocide monument in 2011; Paparian, who did not respond
to multiple requests for comment, announced the registration of his
PAGMC committee last year.
"We started this project; we felt we should finish this project," said
Chahinian, who says his coalition is made up of at least 10 different
Armenian groups. "(PAGMC) are trying to hijack this project. I don't
know what their interest is. "
Yepremian, who is a PAGMC board member, said she believes that group
is on the right track.
"I'm confident with the process, with the committee, with the board
members involved," she said. "It truly represents a grass-roots effort
and our project is an excellent project for Memorial Park. "
Among PAGMC's listed board members are former Assemblyman Anthony
Portantino and former police Chief Bernard Melekian.
Councilman Gene Masuda tried unsuccessfully last year to get the
groups to resolve any differences, according to all sides.
Bogaard said he favors a proposal "formulated by a broad representative
group in the community."
"Mr. Chahinian is active in the community and if he were opposed to
a proposal emanating from the other group, it would be impractical
for staff to reach a conclusion about what to recommend and it would
be difficult to go forward," Bogaard said.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_22918667/pasadenas-armenians-split-rival-genocide-remembrances-memorial-park
From: A. Papazian
Pasadena Star-News, CA
April 2 2013
By Brenda Gazzar, Staff Writer
PASADENA -- Divided Armenian community members are promoting two
rival Armenian genocide anniversary ceremonies in the city on April
24 and two competing ideas for a genocide monument to be erected in
Memorial Park.
The Pasadena chapter of the Armenian National Committee is organizing
a genocide anniversary ceremony at City Hall at 10 a.m. on April 24.
At the exact same time the Pasadena-based Armenian Community Coalition,
which in past years has held its remembrance ceremony at City Hall,
will commemorate the genocide with another ceremony at Memorial Park.
City officials said it's the first time that there have been two
conflicting Armenian genocide anniversary events.
"It's unfortunate that there appears to be competing events and, as
an outsider that is sensitive to what the event commemorates, I would
hope the groups can consolidate and join forces to commemorate it,"
Councilman Terry Tornek said. "If there's a dispute over the monument,
that's even worse. I would hope the community could pull together on
these important issues. "
Mayor Bill Bogaard said it would be preferable to have one ceremony
since two simultaneous events could reduce attendance.
Neither he nor Tornek will be in town that day.
>>From 1915 through 1923 as many as 1.5 million Armenians were slain
by the Ottoman Turks in what was then the Ottoman Empire. For more
than 30 years, the City Council has issued
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advertisement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
an annual proclamation commemorating the Armenian genocide on April 24,
Shoghig Yepremian, chairwoman of the Armenian National Committee's
Pasadena chapter, said her organization used to go in front of the
City Council every year to commemorate the anniversary but decided
this year to host a ceremony in front of City Hall.
"We have a larger community," she said.
Chatchik "Chris" Chahinian, chairman of the Armenian Community
Coalition, said his group started the City Hall commemoration and
has done it there for the past three years.
"It's very disappointing; this is not something that should happen,"
he said. "I believe the group that intends to do this copied our
tradition. It's going to hurt our cause and our community. "
Now there are also two competing plans for a genocide monument to
be erected in Memorial Park in time for the 100th anniversary of the
tragedy in 2015.
Chahinian's Armenian Community Coalition could be going head-to-head
with former Pasadena mayor Bill Paparian's Pasadena Armenian Genocide
Memorial Committee (PAGMC).
Both groups have been in contact with the city about their ideas for
a privately funded monument, and both say they are finalizing their
designs, Art Center College of Design student Catherine Menard was
selected by the PAGMC for its project; Vahram Hovagimyan has been
chosen to design the planned ACC monument.
Chahinian, a former Pasadena City Council candidate, first announced
the idea for a genocide monument in 2011; Paparian, who did not respond
to multiple requests for comment, announced the registration of his
PAGMC committee last year.
"We started this project; we felt we should finish this project," said
Chahinian, who says his coalition is made up of at least 10 different
Armenian groups. "(PAGMC) are trying to hijack this project. I don't
know what their interest is. "
Yepremian, who is a PAGMC board member, said she believes that group
is on the right track.
"I'm confident with the process, with the committee, with the board
members involved," she said. "It truly represents a grass-roots effort
and our project is an excellent project for Memorial Park. "
Among PAGMC's listed board members are former Assemblyman Anthony
Portantino and former police Chief Bernard Melekian.
Councilman Gene Masuda tried unsuccessfully last year to get the
groups to resolve any differences, according to all sides.
Bogaard said he favors a proposal "formulated by a broad representative
group in the community."
"Mr. Chahinian is active in the community and if he were opposed to
a proposal emanating from the other group, it would be impractical
for staff to reach a conclusion about what to recommend and it would
be difficult to go forward," Bogaard said.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_22918667/pasadenas-armenians-split-rival-genocide-remembrances-memorial-park
From: A. Papazian