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ANCA OF WISCONSIN COMMEMORATES 98TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WITH WISCONSIN COMMUNITY
12:47, 3 May, 2013
YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian National Committee of
Wisconsin, in conjunction with several other Armenian organizations,
paid tribute to the more than 1.5 million lives lost in the Armenian
Genocide with a series of events the past two months, the ANCA Eastern
Region reported Armenpress.
"The ANCA of Wisconsin has long been one of our most active local
Eastern Region committees, and we are always impressed by their annual
commemoration of the Genocide. The activists there mobilize quickly
and are persistent in pursuing ANCA initiatives despite living in a
relatively small Armenian community," said Michelle Hagopian, ANCA
Eastern Region Executive Director.
The first events were held on Sunday, March 17. Following a performance
of Beast on the Moon at the In Tandem Theater in Milwaukee, ANC-WI
representative Levon Saryan participated in a panel discussion on
genocide Saryan recounted the experiences of his father, Sarkis Saryan,
who survived the Armenian Genocide.
That same day, in Middleton, the Genocide Education Network (GEN)
manned a booth at the two-day Wisconsin Council for Social Studies
annual conference. GEN is a joint effort of the ANC-WI and St. John
Armenian Church of Greenfield; their booth included samples of
curricula as well as books and videos on the Armenian Genocide.
On Sunday, April 21, St. John Armenian Church held a special requiem
service in front of their newly created genocide memorial in their
church courtyard. On the same day, St. Mesrob Armenian Church in Racine
hosted their annual Martyr's Day program and Madagh dinner. The program
featured Hrair Hawk Khatcherian, pre-eminent photographer of Armenian
Churches in Armenia and historic Armenia. St. Mesrob also sponsored
their annual Martyr's Day blood drive on Monday, April 15.
Wednesday, April 24 began with a reception and program commemorating
the Armenian Genocide at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. The
purpose of the event was to thank the Wisconsin State Assembly and
State Senate for adopting Armenian Genocide resolutions, in 2000
and 2002, respectively, which designate April 24 of each year as
"Wisconsin Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to
1923" and to continue to educate and promote awareness of Armenia
and Armenian issues.
The event was hosted by ANC-WI and Representatives Peter Barca
(D-Kenosha), Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls), Mark Honadel (R-South
Milwaukee), Samantha Kerkman (R-Powers Lake), Cory Mason (D-Racine),
Tod Ohnstad (D-Kenosha), Jeff Stone (R-Greendale), Robin Vos
(R-Burlington) and Thomas Weatherston (R-Racine) and Senators Chris
Larson (D- South Milwaukee), Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), John Lehman
(D-Racine), and Bob Wirch (D- Kenosha). Additional state legislators
and staff attended and, for the first time since the event was first
held in 2001, they outnumbered the Armenians in attendance. The
additional legislators included Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva),
Fred Clark (D-Sauk City), Debra Kolste (D-Janesville), Tom Larson
(R-Colfax), Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee), Sandy Pasch (D- Shorewood), Jon
Richards (D-Milwaukee), Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh), Christine Sinicki
(D-Milwaukee), Chris Taylor (D-Madison), Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc),
Chad Weininger (R-Green Bay) and Josh Zepnick (D-Milwaukee) and
Senators Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) and Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay).
Also in attendance were Kurt Schuler, Wisconsin State Treasurer,
and Manny Vasquez representing Wisconsin US Senator Ron Johnson.
In his remarks, ANC-WI representative Zohrab Khaligian stressed that
the ongoing crime of denial is as heinous as the original crime of
the Armenian Genocide.
"Not only has denial allowed genocide to be transported to Germany,
Cambodia, Rwanda, Sudan and other places, but it has also returned
to Armenia," Khaligian said.
Khaligian explained that as the Soviet Union was crumbling in 1988,
the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabagh petitioned to be reunited with
Armenian proper. The Azeri reaction was the massacre and deportation of
Armenians and "Armenians world-wide witnessed first-hand the stories
of massacre and deportation that they, to date, had only heard from
their parents and grandparents who survived the Armenian Genocide."
Khaligian continued to explain that as the Turkish lobby for years
has tried to re-write the history of the Armenian Genocide on a
national level, today both the Turkish and Azeri lobby are trying to
re-write the history of Nagorno-Karabagh on a local and state level
and, speaking to the legislators in attendance stated, "we will need
your vigilance to prevent them from succeeding."
Wednesday, April 24 ended with the annual joint memorial service held
at Holy Resurrection Armenian Church in South Milwaukee. The memorial
service included the participation of all four Armenian churches in
Wisconsin: St. Hagop and St. Mesrob in Racine, St. John in Greenfield,
and Holy Resurrection in South Milwaukee, as well as both Armenian
churches in Waukegan, Illinois - St. George and St. Paul. The service
was followed by a fellowship in the church hall.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
12:47, 3 May, 2013
YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian National Committee of
Wisconsin, in conjunction with several other Armenian organizations,
paid tribute to the more than 1.5 million lives lost in the Armenian
Genocide with a series of events the past two months, the ANCA Eastern
Region reported Armenpress.
"The ANCA of Wisconsin has long been one of our most active local
Eastern Region committees, and we are always impressed by their annual
commemoration of the Genocide. The activists there mobilize quickly
and are persistent in pursuing ANCA initiatives despite living in a
relatively small Armenian community," said Michelle Hagopian, ANCA
Eastern Region Executive Director.
The first events were held on Sunday, March 17. Following a performance
of Beast on the Moon at the In Tandem Theater in Milwaukee, ANC-WI
representative Levon Saryan participated in a panel discussion on
genocide Saryan recounted the experiences of his father, Sarkis Saryan,
who survived the Armenian Genocide.
That same day, in Middleton, the Genocide Education Network (GEN)
manned a booth at the two-day Wisconsin Council for Social Studies
annual conference. GEN is a joint effort of the ANC-WI and St. John
Armenian Church of Greenfield; their booth included samples of
curricula as well as books and videos on the Armenian Genocide.
On Sunday, April 21, St. John Armenian Church held a special requiem
service in front of their newly created genocide memorial in their
church courtyard. On the same day, St. Mesrob Armenian Church in Racine
hosted their annual Martyr's Day program and Madagh dinner. The program
featured Hrair Hawk Khatcherian, pre-eminent photographer of Armenian
Churches in Armenia and historic Armenia. St. Mesrob also sponsored
their annual Martyr's Day blood drive on Monday, April 15.
Wednesday, April 24 began with a reception and program commemorating
the Armenian Genocide at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. The
purpose of the event was to thank the Wisconsin State Assembly and
State Senate for adopting Armenian Genocide resolutions, in 2000
and 2002, respectively, which designate April 24 of each year as
"Wisconsin Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to
1923" and to continue to educate and promote awareness of Armenia
and Armenian issues.
The event was hosted by ANC-WI and Representatives Peter Barca
(D-Kenosha), Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls), Mark Honadel (R-South
Milwaukee), Samantha Kerkman (R-Powers Lake), Cory Mason (D-Racine),
Tod Ohnstad (D-Kenosha), Jeff Stone (R-Greendale), Robin Vos
(R-Burlington) and Thomas Weatherston (R-Racine) and Senators Chris
Larson (D- South Milwaukee), Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), John Lehman
(D-Racine), and Bob Wirch (D- Kenosha). Additional state legislators
and staff attended and, for the first time since the event was first
held in 2001, they outnumbered the Armenians in attendance. The
additional legislators included Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva),
Fred Clark (D-Sauk City), Debra Kolste (D-Janesville), Tom Larson
(R-Colfax), Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee), Sandy Pasch (D- Shorewood), Jon
Richards (D-Milwaukee), Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh), Christine Sinicki
(D-Milwaukee), Chris Taylor (D-Madison), Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc),
Chad Weininger (R-Green Bay) and Josh Zepnick (D-Milwaukee) and
Senators Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) and Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay).
Also in attendance were Kurt Schuler, Wisconsin State Treasurer,
and Manny Vasquez representing Wisconsin US Senator Ron Johnson.
In his remarks, ANC-WI representative Zohrab Khaligian stressed that
the ongoing crime of denial is as heinous as the original crime of
the Armenian Genocide.
"Not only has denial allowed genocide to be transported to Germany,
Cambodia, Rwanda, Sudan and other places, but it has also returned
to Armenia," Khaligian said.
Khaligian explained that as the Soviet Union was crumbling in 1988,
the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabagh petitioned to be reunited with
Armenian proper. The Azeri reaction was the massacre and deportation of
Armenians and "Armenians world-wide witnessed first-hand the stories
of massacre and deportation that they, to date, had only heard from
their parents and grandparents who survived the Armenian Genocide."
Khaligian continued to explain that as the Turkish lobby for years
has tried to re-write the history of the Armenian Genocide on a
national level, today both the Turkish and Azeri lobby are trying to
re-write the history of Nagorno-Karabagh on a local and state level
and, speaking to the legislators in attendance stated, "we will need
your vigilance to prevent them from succeeding."
Wednesday, April 24 ended with the annual joint memorial service held
at Holy Resurrection Armenian Church in South Milwaukee. The memorial
service included the participation of all four Armenian churches in
Wisconsin: St. Hagop and St. Mesrob in Racine, St. John in Greenfield,
and Holy Resurrection in South Milwaukee, as well as both Armenian
churches in Waukegan, Illinois - St. George and St. Paul. The service
was followed by a fellowship in the church hall.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress