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REDDIT COFOUNDER TO COMMEMORATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS IN YEREVAN
12:07, 31 March, 2015
YEREVAN, 31 MARCH, ARMENPRESS.
The cofounder of the world famous social news website Reddit
of Armenian origin Alexis Ohanian will arrive in Armenia on the
Centennial day of the Armenian Genocide. He will be here with his
father and will wait for US recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Armenpress presents the exclusive interview of Alexis Ohanian, who
has great achievements in the field of technology.
- First of all, can you tell us a bit about you and the story of
your family?
- The families of my parents were orphaned when the Turkish government
cleansed the Armenian population in central Turkey during the Armenian
Genocide. My mother was one of the refugees that marched out -- many
died including her brother and sister -- through Turkey to Aleppo,
Syria. My father's parents were murdered, in his presence, when the
Turks stormed his town. A soldier on horseback was about to kill him
with a sword when his friend told him to stop, because he was too
young, and as only child, my father was then taken to an orphanage
in Turkey and left there. He first came to the US around 1920 and
later he found that my mother was living in Aleppo -- they had been
next-door neighbors and he brought her to the United States and they
married soon thereafter. They had 4 children, 3 girls and a boy. I had
one older sister and two younger sisters. I was the second child. If
I learned anything from my parents, it was to take care of yourself
and your own needs and your family needs and that the family was the
most important part of growing up.
- Once in Armenia you declared that your "best half" is Armenian. Did
the Armenian roots change anything in your life?
- I'm proud of being German, too (my other half) but I just kid about
this, because there are so few of us Armenians in the world and we
are so proud, as we should be. Going back to Armenia had a tremendous
impact on me.
- Your grandfather John Ohanyan called Turkey to recognize Armeinan
Genocide. It is interesting to know your opinion about it?
-I'll be in Armenia with my father on this April to hopefully see
that USA recognizes the Armenian Genocide at last. We actually taped
an episode of the reddit podcast all about Armenians and Genocide
that we will launch on April 23.
- Will you arrive to Armenia on April 24?
-I think I'll arrive on 22 April.
- Referring to your professional activities, I would like to know what
new initiative do you have? You are a cofounder of the Reddit social
networking and news website, which have achieved success. Which one
will be the next?
- Now I'm back at the reddit as executive chair and I'm excited for
all the things that we're working on. The big goal now is to grow
from one of the 10 largest websites in the USA.
- A few days ago you participated in "Innovate Armenia" forum, what
further plans do you have connected with Armenia?
- I'll be speaking at TUMO on April 25 for an event, which is organized
by my friend Raffi Krikorian.
- The Armenian Government announced the IT sector as a priority, and
the experts say that Armenia has big potential in that field. Do you
agree with that point and how do you see the future in that direction?
- Yes. That's what my Innovate Armenia speech was about and that's
what I have been saying for years to anyone who would listen to me.
Let's get our Armenian brothers and sisters writing code and familiar
with technology.
Interview by Ani Nazaryan
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/799823/reddit-cofounder-to-commemorate-armenian-genocide-victims-in-yerevan.html
12:07, 31 March, 2015
YEREVAN, 31 MARCH, ARMENPRESS.
The cofounder of the world famous social news website Reddit
of Armenian origin Alexis Ohanian will arrive in Armenia on the
Centennial day of the Armenian Genocide. He will be here with his
father and will wait for US recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Armenpress presents the exclusive interview of Alexis Ohanian, who
has great achievements in the field of technology.
- First of all, can you tell us a bit about you and the story of
your family?
- The families of my parents were orphaned when the Turkish government
cleansed the Armenian population in central Turkey during the Armenian
Genocide. My mother was one of the refugees that marched out -- many
died including her brother and sister -- through Turkey to Aleppo,
Syria. My father's parents were murdered, in his presence, when the
Turks stormed his town. A soldier on horseback was about to kill him
with a sword when his friend told him to stop, because he was too
young, and as only child, my father was then taken to an orphanage
in Turkey and left there. He first came to the US around 1920 and
later he found that my mother was living in Aleppo -- they had been
next-door neighbors and he brought her to the United States and they
married soon thereafter. They had 4 children, 3 girls and a boy. I had
one older sister and two younger sisters. I was the second child. If
I learned anything from my parents, it was to take care of yourself
and your own needs and your family needs and that the family was the
most important part of growing up.
- Once in Armenia you declared that your "best half" is Armenian. Did
the Armenian roots change anything in your life?
- I'm proud of being German, too (my other half) but I just kid about
this, because there are so few of us Armenians in the world and we
are so proud, as we should be. Going back to Armenia had a tremendous
impact on me.
- Your grandfather John Ohanyan called Turkey to recognize Armeinan
Genocide. It is interesting to know your opinion about it?
-I'll be in Armenia with my father on this April to hopefully see
that USA recognizes the Armenian Genocide at last. We actually taped
an episode of the reddit podcast all about Armenians and Genocide
that we will launch on April 23.
- Will you arrive to Armenia on April 24?
-I think I'll arrive on 22 April.
- Referring to your professional activities, I would like to know what
new initiative do you have? You are a cofounder of the Reddit social
networking and news website, which have achieved success. Which one
will be the next?
- Now I'm back at the reddit as executive chair and I'm excited for
all the things that we're working on. The big goal now is to grow
from one of the 10 largest websites in the USA.
- A few days ago you participated in "Innovate Armenia" forum, what
further plans do you have connected with Armenia?
- I'll be speaking at TUMO on April 25 for an event, which is organized
by my friend Raffi Krikorian.
- The Armenian Government announced the IT sector as a priority, and
the experts say that Armenia has big potential in that field. Do you
agree with that point and how do you see the future in that direction?
- Yes. That's what my Innovate Armenia speech was about and that's
what I have been saying for years to anyone who would listen to me.
Let's get our Armenian brothers and sisters writing code and familiar
with technology.
Interview by Ani Nazaryan
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/799823/reddit-cofounder-to-commemorate-armenian-genocide-victims-in-yerevan.html