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PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Alik Ourfalian
Tel: (818) 507-1933
E-Mail: [email protected]
Town Hall Meeting - #SaveKessab
Hundreds Attend Community Forum to Discuss Recent Occurrences in Kessab
GLENDALE - The Armenian Youth Federation - Western Region hosted a town
hall meeting on Wednesday at the Krikor and Mariam Karamanoukian Glendale
Youth Center. Hundreds were in attendance as representatives from the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian National Committee of
America, the Kessab Educational Association of Los Angeles, and the
Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund presented information about the recent attacks
on the predominantly Armenian town of Kessab, Syria, as well as Turkey's
involvement in the occurrences.
Vahe Lepedjian, a member of the AYF-WR Central Executive, explained in his
opening remarks that the AYF-WR thought it necessary to hold this meeting
in order to present the community with up-to-date and accurate information
regarding the recent occurrences in Kessab. Over the past few weeks, the
AYF-WR has seen an overwhelming response to its #SaveKessab campaign on
the internet, but information shared through social media has not always
been truthful.
"As an organization that is dedicated to strengthening and educating our
community, engaging and activating the masses serves as the best motivation
to continue working toward our goal," Lepedjian said. "Whether online or in
person, our efforts have been matched with an overwhelming amount of
interest and support."
Speaking on behalf of the ARF was Dr. Viken Hovsepian, chairperson of the
ARF Western United States Central Committee. He presented the facts of the
attack, saying that residents of Kessab have evacuated the town and there
have been no Armenian casualties to date. He also explained that an
emergency meeting was called with the U.S. State Department the day of the
attacks. Representatives from the ARF and ANCA presented facts and
evidence, urging the State Department to begin a formal, independent
investigation into Turkey's involvement in the attacks. Raffi Hamparian,
ANCA National Board member, spoke to the crowd about the importance of
contacting their representatives in Congress and calling for congressional
intelligence inquiry into the attacks.
Joining the meeting from Latakia via Skype was Garo Manjikian. He is
heading relief efforts in Latakia, where the majority of Kessab residents
have found refuge. He said that on the morning of March 21, locals noticed
that Turkish police posts at the border were vacated. Hours later, the
attackers crossed the border and attacked the town. Residents, he said,
adamantly wish to return to their homes in Kessab. He thanked the
international Armenian community for all its support in the last few weeks.
Esther Tognozzi, president of the KEA, thanked the community for its
support and asked that any information found online be verified before
sharing. She also conducted the Q&A session with Manjikian. The final
speaker was Zaven Khanjian on behalf of SARF. He urged the crowd to attend
the Hye Aid 3 benefit concert, the proceeds of which will help relief
efforts in Kessab.
The crisis in Kessab is of particular concern to the Armenian community
because of its unique historical significance as the last
indigenously-populated Armenian town on the lands of historic Western
Armenia. The attacks on Kessab serve as a bitter reminder of the same
tactics Turkish forces utilized as a precursor to genocide in 1909 and 1915.
Wednesday's town hall meeting attracted activists of different backgrounds.
Jason Acherman, a member of the Encino Neighborhood Council, attended the
meeting to be further informed on the subject of Kessab. "I just wanted to
get a better sense of what's going on and see what I, as a
non-Armenian-American, can do to help," he said. "I'm Jewish and my people
have faced genocide as well, so I have deep empathy for the Armenian
community."
The AYF-WR is gratified and inspired by the success of the
#SaveKessab campaign,
but is likewise aware of a mass distribution of inaccurate information and
images not associated with the crisis in Kessab. Moving forward, it is
crucial that specific information is clarified so that the campaign and its
followers can take steps in the direction of effective intervention and aid.
The AYF-WR would also like to address that its only official outlets for
the #SaveKessab campaign operate under "AYFWest" social media accounts
and www.ayfwest.org . Any merchandise found
online is unofficial and we discourage purchasing such merchandise as the
proceeds cannot be tracked. At this time of crisis, our united efforts are
critical.
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.
###
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Alik Ourfalian
Tel: (818) 507-1933
E-Mail: [email protected]
Town Hall Meeting - #SaveKessab
Hundreds Attend Community Forum to Discuss Recent Occurrences in Kessab
GLENDALE - The Armenian Youth Federation - Western Region hosted a town
hall meeting on Wednesday at the Krikor and Mariam Karamanoukian Glendale
Youth Center. Hundreds were in attendance as representatives from the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian National Committee of
America, the Kessab Educational Association of Los Angeles, and the
Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund presented information about the recent attacks
on the predominantly Armenian town of Kessab, Syria, as well as Turkey's
involvement in the occurrences.
Vahe Lepedjian, a member of the AYF-WR Central Executive, explained in his
opening remarks that the AYF-WR thought it necessary to hold this meeting
in order to present the community with up-to-date and accurate information
regarding the recent occurrences in Kessab. Over the past few weeks, the
AYF-WR has seen an overwhelming response to its #SaveKessab campaign on
the internet, but information shared through social media has not always
been truthful.
"As an organization that is dedicated to strengthening and educating our
community, engaging and activating the masses serves as the best motivation
to continue working toward our goal," Lepedjian said. "Whether online or in
person, our efforts have been matched with an overwhelming amount of
interest and support."
Speaking on behalf of the ARF was Dr. Viken Hovsepian, chairperson of the
ARF Western United States Central Committee. He presented the facts of the
attack, saying that residents of Kessab have evacuated the town and there
have been no Armenian casualties to date. He also explained that an
emergency meeting was called with the U.S. State Department the day of the
attacks. Representatives from the ARF and ANCA presented facts and
evidence, urging the State Department to begin a formal, independent
investigation into Turkey's involvement in the attacks. Raffi Hamparian,
ANCA National Board member, spoke to the crowd about the importance of
contacting their representatives in Congress and calling for congressional
intelligence inquiry into the attacks.
Joining the meeting from Latakia via Skype was Garo Manjikian. He is
heading relief efforts in Latakia, where the majority of Kessab residents
have found refuge. He said that on the morning of March 21, locals noticed
that Turkish police posts at the border were vacated. Hours later, the
attackers crossed the border and attacked the town. Residents, he said,
adamantly wish to return to their homes in Kessab. He thanked the
international Armenian community for all its support in the last few weeks.
Esther Tognozzi, president of the KEA, thanked the community for its
support and asked that any information found online be verified before
sharing. She also conducted the Q&A session with Manjikian. The final
speaker was Zaven Khanjian on behalf of SARF. He urged the crowd to attend
the Hye Aid 3 benefit concert, the proceeds of which will help relief
efforts in Kessab.
The crisis in Kessab is of particular concern to the Armenian community
because of its unique historical significance as the last
indigenously-populated Armenian town on the lands of historic Western
Armenia. The attacks on Kessab serve as a bitter reminder of the same
tactics Turkish forces utilized as a precursor to genocide in 1909 and 1915.
Wednesday's town hall meeting attracted activists of different backgrounds.
Jason Acherman, a member of the Encino Neighborhood Council, attended the
meeting to be further informed on the subject of Kessab. "I just wanted to
get a better sense of what's going on and see what I, as a
non-Armenian-American, can do to help," he said. "I'm Jewish and my people
have faced genocide as well, so I have deep empathy for the Armenian
community."
The AYF-WR is gratified and inspired by the success of the
#SaveKessab campaign,
but is likewise aware of a mass distribution of inaccurate information and
images not associated with the crisis in Kessab. Moving forward, it is
crucial that specific information is clarified so that the campaign and its
followers can take steps in the direction of effective intervention and aid.
The AYF-WR would also like to address that its only official outlets for
the #SaveKessab campaign operate under "AYFWest" social media accounts
and www.ayfwest.org . Any merchandise found
online is unofficial and we discourage purchasing such merchandise as the
proceeds cannot be tracked. At this time of crisis, our united efforts are
critical.
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.
###