Tweet
Lowell Sun, MA
May 11 2014
Etched in stone: Never forget
Armenians share pride as genocide memorial unveiled
By Lyle Moran
LOWELL -- When he was a child, Joseph Dagdigian's grandmother would
have flashbacks at night to the days of the genocide the Ottoman Turks
carried out against Armenians and others in the early 20th century.
Dagdigian, who grew up in Lowell, said it was not until years later
that he understood his grandmother's anguish about the slaughter, and
why there is a strong push among Armenians for the events never to be
forgotten.
To not acknowledge the killing of 1.5 million people from 1915 to 1923
is to falsify his family's history, says Dagdigian, now in his 70s.
On Saturday, Dagdigian proudly joined hundreds of others at City Hall
as the Armenian Genocide Memorial was unveiled and dedicated to the
right of the entrance to the building.
The monument, titled "A Mother's Hands," is believed to be the first
Armenian Genocide monument unveiled on the site of a government
building in the U.S.
"This is really amazing," said Dagdigian. "Years ago, I never would
have expected to see something like this. This shows the government of
Lowell acknowledges the Armenian genocide."
The last known genocide survivor in the Merrimack Valley also attended
the ceremony. Nellie Nazarian, 102, was a young child when her mother
helped her escape and eventually make it to the U.S.
Nazarian, of Methuen, was joined Saturday by her daughter, Marlene
Aznoian, as well as some of her dozens of grandchildren and great
grandchildren. She smiled for the camera when placed in her wheelchair
next to the monument.
"I'm just glad she is here for this," said Aznoian, 76, of Andover.
"She went through a lot coming to this country. We are proud of her."
The Lowell monument is made of bronze and granite. There are two
three-dimensional hands at the top of the piece of art showing a
mother's hands crocheting. The hands sit above a large cross.
At the bottom of the structure is inscribed the words "In Memory" both
in English and Armenian.
"Knot by knot, her hands weave the history of her people," reads the monument.
"The delicacy of the crochet integrated into this cross stone is
symbolic of the beauty and strength of the Armenian heritage."
The writing below the cross also states "that in spite of the pain and
horror of the genocide, knot by knot, the Armenian People everywhere
weave their hopes and dreams, as they bloom and prosper."
The effort to make the monument a reality began in 2011 when members
of the Armenian community approached then-Mayor James Milinazzo about
the idea. Milinazzo, now a city councilor, helped launch the project
and set aside a spot right outside City Hall.
Members of the Merrimack Valley Armenian Genocide Monument Committee
moved the project forward in the time since.
They had support from hundreds of Armenians in the region, New
England and beyond.
Armen Jeknavorian, chairman of the committee, said the monument honors
all those Armenians who came to Lowell before, during and after the
genocide, including his father, who escaped from the genocide.
During the years of the genocide, there were already enough Armenians
in Lowell to start their own church on Lawrence Street and in the
Merrimack Valley there are an estimated 2,500-3,000 families of
Armenian descent today, said Jeknavorian.
Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian said those who supported the
monument effort had helped the community secure a significant
achievement.
Koutoujian, whose grandparents survived the genocide, said the Lowell
monument matches Armenian Heritage Park in Boston in its significance.
"As we continue to seek recognition for our genocide, this is another
step in that recognition," Koutoujian said. "The more people we
educate about the genocide, the more people we teach about the
genocide, the more people will know the truth of this matter."
The monument, designed by Chelmsford artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian,
garnered high praise for its artistic merit.
"Our instruction to him was we wanted this monument to be a work of
art where someone would walk by and have to turn around to take
another look," said Aram Jeknavorian of Lowell, a member of the
monument committee and brother of Armen. "I think he has achieved
that."
Varoujan Hejinian said the stone and bronze of the statue coming
together symbolize the body and soul coming together.
Several speakers noted the symbolism of the dedication of a monument
titled "A Mother's Hands" on Mother's Day weekend. Armen Jeknavorian
said the Armenians have a Mother's Day saying that, "The earth's
warmth is in the mother's hands."
City officials and members of the city's Statehouse delegation were on
hand for the unveiling and made clear they believe the Turks' killings
of Armenians and others should not be forgotten.
"Let us make no mistake, the atrocities committed against the Armenian
people are a genocide, an organized killing of people for the express
purpose of putting an end to their collective existence," said Mayor
Rodney Elliott, who said he joined local Armenians in recalling the
darkness of those days, while applauding the community's resilience.
City Manager Kevin Murphy credited Koutoujian, his former colleague at
the Statehouse, with helping him understand the significance of the
genocide and remembering the victims.
"You have my word as the city manager of Lowell this memorial will be
maintained in a proper and honorable fashion for as long as I'm city
manager," Murphy told the crowd.
http://www.lowellsun.com/news/ci_25741451/etched-stone-never-forget
May 11 2014
Etched in stone: Never forget
Armenians share pride as genocide memorial unveiled
By Lyle Moran
LOWELL -- When he was a child, Joseph Dagdigian's grandmother would
have flashbacks at night to the days of the genocide the Ottoman Turks
carried out against Armenians and others in the early 20th century.
Dagdigian, who grew up in Lowell, said it was not until years later
that he understood his grandmother's anguish about the slaughter, and
why there is a strong push among Armenians for the events never to be
forgotten.
To not acknowledge the killing of 1.5 million people from 1915 to 1923
is to falsify his family's history, says Dagdigian, now in his 70s.
On Saturday, Dagdigian proudly joined hundreds of others at City Hall
as the Armenian Genocide Memorial was unveiled and dedicated to the
right of the entrance to the building.
The monument, titled "A Mother's Hands," is believed to be the first
Armenian Genocide monument unveiled on the site of a government
building in the U.S.
"This is really amazing," said Dagdigian. "Years ago, I never would
have expected to see something like this. This shows the government of
Lowell acknowledges the Armenian genocide."
The last known genocide survivor in the Merrimack Valley also attended
the ceremony. Nellie Nazarian, 102, was a young child when her mother
helped her escape and eventually make it to the U.S.
Nazarian, of Methuen, was joined Saturday by her daughter, Marlene
Aznoian, as well as some of her dozens of grandchildren and great
grandchildren. She smiled for the camera when placed in her wheelchair
next to the monument.
"I'm just glad she is here for this," said Aznoian, 76, of Andover.
"She went through a lot coming to this country. We are proud of her."
The Lowell monument is made of bronze and granite. There are two
three-dimensional hands at the top of the piece of art showing a
mother's hands crocheting. The hands sit above a large cross.
At the bottom of the structure is inscribed the words "In Memory" both
in English and Armenian.
"Knot by knot, her hands weave the history of her people," reads the monument.
"The delicacy of the crochet integrated into this cross stone is
symbolic of the beauty and strength of the Armenian heritage."
The writing below the cross also states "that in spite of the pain and
horror of the genocide, knot by knot, the Armenian People everywhere
weave their hopes and dreams, as they bloom and prosper."
The effort to make the monument a reality began in 2011 when members
of the Armenian community approached then-Mayor James Milinazzo about
the idea. Milinazzo, now a city councilor, helped launch the project
and set aside a spot right outside City Hall.
Members of the Merrimack Valley Armenian Genocide Monument Committee
moved the project forward in the time since.
They had support from hundreds of Armenians in the region, New
England and beyond.
Armen Jeknavorian, chairman of the committee, said the monument honors
all those Armenians who came to Lowell before, during and after the
genocide, including his father, who escaped from the genocide.
During the years of the genocide, there were already enough Armenians
in Lowell to start their own church on Lawrence Street and in the
Merrimack Valley there are an estimated 2,500-3,000 families of
Armenian descent today, said Jeknavorian.
Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian said those who supported the
monument effort had helped the community secure a significant
achievement.
Koutoujian, whose grandparents survived the genocide, said the Lowell
monument matches Armenian Heritage Park in Boston in its significance.
"As we continue to seek recognition for our genocide, this is another
step in that recognition," Koutoujian said. "The more people we
educate about the genocide, the more people we teach about the
genocide, the more people will know the truth of this matter."
The monument, designed by Chelmsford artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian,
garnered high praise for its artistic merit.
"Our instruction to him was we wanted this monument to be a work of
art where someone would walk by and have to turn around to take
another look," said Aram Jeknavorian of Lowell, a member of the
monument committee and brother of Armen. "I think he has achieved
that."
Varoujan Hejinian said the stone and bronze of the statue coming
together symbolize the body and soul coming together.
Several speakers noted the symbolism of the dedication of a monument
titled "A Mother's Hands" on Mother's Day weekend. Armen Jeknavorian
said the Armenians have a Mother's Day saying that, "The earth's
warmth is in the mother's hands."
City officials and members of the city's Statehouse delegation were on
hand for the unveiling and made clear they believe the Turks' killings
of Armenians and others should not be forgotten.
"Let us make no mistake, the atrocities committed against the Armenian
people are a genocide, an organized killing of people for the express
purpose of putting an end to their collective existence," said Mayor
Rodney Elliott, who said he joined local Armenians in recalling the
darkness of those days, while applauding the community's resilience.
City Manager Kevin Murphy credited Koutoujian, his former colleague at
the Statehouse, with helping him understand the significance of the
genocide and remembering the victims.
"You have my word as the city manager of Lowell this memorial will be
maintained in a proper and honorable fashion for as long as I'm city
manager," Murphy told the crowd.
http://www.lowellsun.com/news/ci_25741451/etched-stone-never-forget