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AYF CALLS ON USC TO RETRACT INVITATION OF TURKISH VICE CONSUL
http://asbarez.com/109765/ayf-calls-on-usc-to-retract-invitation-of-turkish-vice-consul/
Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
USC
LOS ANGELES-The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) has raised concern
regarding the University of Southern California (USC) Center for Public
Diplomacy's decision to invite Tolga Arslan, Turkish Vice-Consul,
to speak at the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars (APDS)
Conference on Friday, May 3.
Armenian Youth Federation
The conference is held annually and has four panels this year
focusing on Public Diplomacy's Domestic Dimensions, Public Diplomacy
in Conflict Zones, and Diasporas and Consular Diplomacy. Togla Arslan
has been invited to speak on the subject of Diasporas and Consular
Diplomacy in order to share his public diplomacy strategies and
the most effective ways of engaging with their diasporas. Arslan is
not only a representative of a government that actively denies the
Armenian Genocide, but he also actively works with organizations in
the Diaspora that advocate for the denial of genocide. This concern
should not only be a concern to the Armenian community and to human
rights advocates, but to the USC faculty and students as well.
Inviting a representative of a government that does not engage in
just practices in diplomacy reflects negatively upon the department
and its credibility.
It is important that those attending this conference are educated
and aware of the ongoing human rights violations by the Turkish
government. USC should not allow representatives of foreign governments
that have one of the worst human rights violation records to influence
our education in the United States. It is important that we be
critical and that we speak out when we see individuals like Arslan,
through his government, attempting to influence our educational system.
The Armenian Youth Federation calls on the USC Center for Public
Diplomacy to retract its invitation to Tolga Arslan, and to be truly
critical of the representatives that they invite for future panels.
On November 1, Arslan was invited to be the keynote speaker at the
UCLA Bruin Model UN conference, where he was supposed to deliver the
introductory speech to the conference participants. Arslan canceled
his appearance at the last minute due to the combined efforts of the
Armenian Youth Federation Western Region (AYF-WR), Armenian National
Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR), and the UCLA Armenian
Student Association (ASA). The BruinMUN organizers thanked the Armenian
community for their steadfast commitment to the principles of truth,
justice, and human rights.
Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most
influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States,
working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural
awareness of Armenian-American youth.
http://asbarez.com/109765/ayf-calls-on-usc-to-retract-invitation-of-turkish-vice-consul/
Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
USC
LOS ANGELES-The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) has raised concern
regarding the University of Southern California (USC) Center for Public
Diplomacy's decision to invite Tolga Arslan, Turkish Vice-Consul,
to speak at the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars (APDS)
Conference on Friday, May 3.
Armenian Youth Federation
The conference is held annually and has four panels this year
focusing on Public Diplomacy's Domestic Dimensions, Public Diplomacy
in Conflict Zones, and Diasporas and Consular Diplomacy. Togla Arslan
has been invited to speak on the subject of Diasporas and Consular
Diplomacy in order to share his public diplomacy strategies and
the most effective ways of engaging with their diasporas. Arslan is
not only a representative of a government that actively denies the
Armenian Genocide, but he also actively works with organizations in
the Diaspora that advocate for the denial of genocide. This concern
should not only be a concern to the Armenian community and to human
rights advocates, but to the USC faculty and students as well.
Inviting a representative of a government that does not engage in
just practices in diplomacy reflects negatively upon the department
and its credibility.
It is important that those attending this conference are educated
and aware of the ongoing human rights violations by the Turkish
government. USC should not allow representatives of foreign governments
that have one of the worst human rights violation records to influence
our education in the United States. It is important that we be
critical and that we speak out when we see individuals like Arslan,
through his government, attempting to influence our educational system.
The Armenian Youth Federation calls on the USC Center for Public
Diplomacy to retract its invitation to Tolga Arslan, and to be truly
critical of the representatives that they invite for future panels.
On November 1, Arslan was invited to be the keynote speaker at the
UCLA Bruin Model UN conference, where he was supposed to deliver the
introductory speech to the conference participants. Arslan canceled
his appearance at the last minute due to the combined efforts of the
Armenian Youth Federation Western Region (AYF-WR), Armenian National
Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR), and the UCLA Armenian
Student Association (ASA). The BruinMUN organizers thanked the Armenian
community for their steadfast commitment to the principles of truth,
justice, and human rights.
Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most
influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States,
working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural
awareness of Armenian-American youth.