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  • Congressman Cicilline, House Members Celebrate White House Display O

    CICILLINE, HOUSE MEMBERS CELEBRATE WHITE HOUSE DISPLAY OF ARMENIAN ORPHAN RUG

    Congressional Documents and Publications
    November 18, 2014

    Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) News Release

    U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DOCUMENTS

    WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI) today
    spoke at the opening of the Armenian Orphan Rug display, which will be
    showcased at the White House Visitor's Center today through November
    23rd. Last year, Cicilline and 31 of his House colleagues sent a
    letter urging President Obama to release the Armenian Orphan Rug for
    public exhibition. The following are Cicilline's remarks as prepared
    for delivery:

    "I want to thank Congressman Schiff, Valadao and all my colleagues
    for their incredible efforts to display the Armenian Orphan Rug at
    the White House. I also want to thank the Armenian-American community
    leaders who made this display possible.

    "Rhode Island is home to a vibrant community of Armenian-Americans.

    I've seen firsthand the significant contributions this community
    has made to our state in business, culture, academia, government,
    and the arts, and I want to express my deep gratitude to all the
    Armenian-Americans who live across our country.

    "Today we celebrate the display of the Armenian Orphan Rug at the
    White House Visitor Center. This great artifact is both a symbol
    of the strong relationship between Armenia and the U.S. and a stark
    reminder about the first genocide of the modern era where 1.5 million
    Armenians perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

    "In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge was presented with a hand woven
    rug by orphans survivors of the Armenian Genocide. The Ghazir rug,
    commonly known as the Armenian Orphan Rug, represented a token of
    appreciation for the generosity of the United States toward survivors
    and orphans of this genocide.

    "Last year, it was reported that the White House would not allow the
    rug to be loaned to Smithsonian Institution to be displayed for a
    public event. In November of 2013, my colleagues and I joined together
    and urged President Obama to allow the rug to be displayed publicly,
    as it is an essential part of American and Armenian history. Together
    with leaders in the American-Armenian community we successfully worked
    with the White House to make sure the rug and its historical meaning
    were shared with the country.

    "As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Congressional
    Armenian Caucus, I had the opportunity to travel to Armenia earlier
    this year where I observed the annual Remembrance Day Event to
    commemorate the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.

    "The United States has a responsibility to condemn acts of religious
    intolerance and to protect and promote human rights across the globe.

    My experience in Armenia served as an important reminder that we must
    do more to honor the survivors and their families and to ensure a
    tragedy such as the Armenian Genocide never occurs again. Today we
    have made a small, but important step toward honoring their memories.

    "There is still more work to be done. In the past year, I have
    supported appropriations requests for aid to Armenia and Nagorno
    Karabakh. I voted to pass the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability
    Act to return church properties to their rightful owners and protect
    religious minority groups from unfair discrimination. And, I've fought
    to ensure the U.S. recognizes the Armenian Genocide.

    "As a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, I will continue
    to fight to strengthen relations between the U.S. and Armenia.

    "Today I am proud to stand with all of you to celebrate this great
    achievement and to remember all the lives lost during the horrific
    Armenian Genocide.

    "Thank you."

    Read this original document at:
    http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-house-members-celebrate-white-house-display-armenian-orphan-rug

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