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99th anniversary commemoration of the Armenian Genocide to be held in
Times Square on April 27
15:56 22.02.2014
Armenian Genocide
On Sunday, April 27, 2014 from 2-4 pm, thousands of devoted
Armenian-Americans and their friends and supporters will gather in
Times Square (43rd St. & Broadway) to commemorate the first genocide
of the 20th Century, The Armenian Genocide (Medz Yeghern). In
recognition of Genocide Awareness Month (April), Holocaust Remembrance
Day (Yom HaShoah) will also be commemorated, as well as other
genocides that have occurred since then, Masis Post reports.
The theme of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration is "Turkey is Guilty
of Genocide: Denying the Undeniable is a Crime." This historic event
will pay tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who were annihilated by
the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire and to the millions of
victims of subsequent genocides worldwide. Speakers will include
civic, religious, humanitarian, educational, cultural leaders, as well
as performing artists. This event is free and open to the public. Dr.
Mary A. Papazian, President of Southern Connecticut State University
and Attorney R. Armen McOmber will preside over the ceremonies.
Dennis R. Papazian, PhD, past National Grand Commander of Knights of
Vartan and Founding Director of the Armenian Research Center at the
University of Michigan-Dearborn discusses the Armenian Genocide.
"These killings, which were labeled crimes against humanity and
civilization at the time, exactly fit the definition of the word
genocide, which was coined by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer
in 1943," comments Papazian. "It is only proper to bring the
terminology up to date and apply the international laws for genocide
to the Armenian case."
Papazian headed the Armenian Assembly of America in 1975, when a
non-binding resolution recognizing the mass killings as genocide,
passed through Congress. On April 22, 1981, then-President Ronald
Reagan issued Proclamation #4838 that summoned Americans to
commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps.
The proclamation stated, "Like the genocide of the Armenians before
it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it--and like too
many other persecutions of too many other peoples--the lessons of the
Holocaust must never be forgotten."
Papazian further discusses that President Barack Obama used the
Armenian phrase Medz Yeghern, which is the equivalent of the phrase
genocide in the Armenian language, in a statement issued to
commemorate Armenian Remembrance Day on April 24, 2013. "But still the
U.S. position is still kept ambiguous about using the word genocide
because our country fears alienating Turkey, an important country in
the Middle East," he adds.
"In the long run, Turkish recognition of the Armenian Genocide is
critical, since Turkey is the responsible successive government of the
Ottoman Empire," stresses Papazian. "In recent years there have been
some positive developments among progressive Turkish intellectuals,
including the grandson of one of the chief perpetrators; therefore, it
is within the realm of possibility that Turkey itself will recognize
the Armenian Genocide on the one hundredth anniversary of its
beginning," he concludes.
The 99th Commemoration is organized by the Mid-Atlantic chapters of
the Knights & Daughters of Vartan (www.kofv.org), an international
Armenian fraternal organization headquartered in the United States,
and co-sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union
(www.agbu.org), the Armenian Assembly of America (www.aaainc.org), the
Armenian National Committee of America ( www.anca.org), the Armenian
Council of America and the Armenian Democratic League (Ramgavar
Party).
Participating organizations include the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America, Prelacy of the Armenian Church of America, Armenian
Missionary Association of America, Armenian Catholic Eparchy for U.S.
and Canada, the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA),
the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF-YOARF), several Armenian youth
organizations, and university and college Armenian clubs.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/02/22/99th-anniversary-commemoration-of-the-armenian-genocide-to-be-held-in-times-square-on-april-27/
From: A. Papazian
Times Square on April 27
15:56 22.02.2014
Armenian Genocide
On Sunday, April 27, 2014 from 2-4 pm, thousands of devoted
Armenian-Americans and their friends and supporters will gather in
Times Square (43rd St. & Broadway) to commemorate the first genocide
of the 20th Century, The Armenian Genocide (Medz Yeghern). In
recognition of Genocide Awareness Month (April), Holocaust Remembrance
Day (Yom HaShoah) will also be commemorated, as well as other
genocides that have occurred since then, Masis Post reports.
The theme of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration is "Turkey is Guilty
of Genocide: Denying the Undeniable is a Crime." This historic event
will pay tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who were annihilated by
the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire and to the millions of
victims of subsequent genocides worldwide. Speakers will include
civic, religious, humanitarian, educational, cultural leaders, as well
as performing artists. This event is free and open to the public. Dr.
Mary A. Papazian, President of Southern Connecticut State University
and Attorney R. Armen McOmber will preside over the ceremonies.
Dennis R. Papazian, PhD, past National Grand Commander of Knights of
Vartan and Founding Director of the Armenian Research Center at the
University of Michigan-Dearborn discusses the Armenian Genocide.
"These killings, which were labeled crimes against humanity and
civilization at the time, exactly fit the definition of the word
genocide, which was coined by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer
in 1943," comments Papazian. "It is only proper to bring the
terminology up to date and apply the international laws for genocide
to the Armenian case."
Papazian headed the Armenian Assembly of America in 1975, when a
non-binding resolution recognizing the mass killings as genocide,
passed through Congress. On April 22, 1981, then-President Ronald
Reagan issued Proclamation #4838 that summoned Americans to
commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps.
The proclamation stated, "Like the genocide of the Armenians before
it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it--and like too
many other persecutions of too many other peoples--the lessons of the
Holocaust must never be forgotten."
Papazian further discusses that President Barack Obama used the
Armenian phrase Medz Yeghern, which is the equivalent of the phrase
genocide in the Armenian language, in a statement issued to
commemorate Armenian Remembrance Day on April 24, 2013. "But still the
U.S. position is still kept ambiguous about using the word genocide
because our country fears alienating Turkey, an important country in
the Middle East," he adds.
"In the long run, Turkish recognition of the Armenian Genocide is
critical, since Turkey is the responsible successive government of the
Ottoman Empire," stresses Papazian. "In recent years there have been
some positive developments among progressive Turkish intellectuals,
including the grandson of one of the chief perpetrators; therefore, it
is within the realm of possibility that Turkey itself will recognize
the Armenian Genocide on the one hundredth anniversary of its
beginning," he concludes.
The 99th Commemoration is organized by the Mid-Atlantic chapters of
the Knights & Daughters of Vartan (www.kofv.org), an international
Armenian fraternal organization headquartered in the United States,
and co-sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union
(www.agbu.org), the Armenian Assembly of America (www.aaainc.org), the
Armenian National Committee of America ( www.anca.org), the Armenian
Council of America and the Armenian Democratic League (Ramgavar
Party).
Participating organizations include the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America, Prelacy of the Armenian Church of America, Armenian
Missionary Association of America, Armenian Catholic Eparchy for U.S.
and Canada, the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA),
the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF-YOARF), several Armenian youth
organizations, and university and college Armenian clubs.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/02/22/99th-anniversary-commemoration-of-the-armenian-genocide-to-be-held-in-times-square-on-april-27/
From: A. Papazian