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Las Vegas Review-Journal
April 18 2015
Armenian-Americans open honorary consulate in Henderson
By CHRIS KUDIALIS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
About 100 Armenian-Americans, politicians and others from the Las
Vegas Valley gathered Saturday in Henderson to celebrate a
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the United States' first Honorary
Consulate of Armenia.
The honorary consulate, at 1013 Whitney Ranch Drive near Patrick Lane,
joins Armenia's Consulate General in Los Angeles as the only two such
offices in the U.S. representing the country.
The office will serve as a cultural center for the nearly 20,000
Armenian-Americans in the valley and eventually offer passport and
visa services for both visiting Armenians and American travelers,
according to Honorary Consul Andy Armenian. Armenian, who works as a
real estate broker, will run the honorary consulate as an unpaid
volunteer.
"This is a great accomplishment for us, and it'll contribute to the
development and growth of Southern Nevada," Armenian said.
The opening came less than a week before the 100th anniversary of a
mass genocide of Armenians. Starting April 24, 1915, nearly 1.5
million Armenians were systematically exterminated in the Ottoman
Empire -- a genocide that cost Armenia 70 percent of its population, he
said.
The remaining 30 percent emigrated to neighboring countries, and
thousands went as far as the western United States, where their
families remain today, he said.
"It brought many people here to start a new beginning," Armenian said.
The genocide, which ranks among the largest of the 20th century,
according to the United Nations, was the result of a political and
religious struggle in the Ottoman Empire between the ruling Turkish
government and Armenian citizens.
During the height of World War I, the Islamic "Young Turks" government
clashed with a majority Christian Armenian population, Armenian said.
Fearing its Armenian population was supporting Russia, also a
Christian nation, the Young Turks, who allied with Germany and
Austria-Hungary, began exterminating Armenian men of military age. The
genocide lasted through 1923 and eventually included Armenian women
and children.
To this date, the Turkish government does not acknowledge the
genocide. But Armenian has worked with both state and local officials
to recognize what happened.
Earlier this month, Gov. Brian Sandoval issued a proclamation
declaring April 19-26 "Days of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide."
And Friday, the Armenian American Cultural Society of Las Vegas will
host a groundbreaking ceremony at Sunset Park for a permanent Las
Vegas memorial.
"It's important for our community as well as the general public to
know this story," Armenian said. "We're very grateful for the state of
Nevada for giving us hope and opportunity."
Among the politicians attending the ribbon-cutting were Rep. Dina
Titus, D-Nev., Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., and Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/armenian-americans-open-honorary-consulate-henderson
April 18 2015
Armenian-Americans open honorary consulate in Henderson
By CHRIS KUDIALIS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
About 100 Armenian-Americans, politicians and others from the Las
Vegas Valley gathered Saturday in Henderson to celebrate a
ribbon-cutting ceremony for the United States' first Honorary
Consulate of Armenia.
The honorary consulate, at 1013 Whitney Ranch Drive near Patrick Lane,
joins Armenia's Consulate General in Los Angeles as the only two such
offices in the U.S. representing the country.
The office will serve as a cultural center for the nearly 20,000
Armenian-Americans in the valley and eventually offer passport and
visa services for both visiting Armenians and American travelers,
according to Honorary Consul Andy Armenian. Armenian, who works as a
real estate broker, will run the honorary consulate as an unpaid
volunteer.
"This is a great accomplishment for us, and it'll contribute to the
development and growth of Southern Nevada," Armenian said.
The opening came less than a week before the 100th anniversary of a
mass genocide of Armenians. Starting April 24, 1915, nearly 1.5
million Armenians were systematically exterminated in the Ottoman
Empire -- a genocide that cost Armenia 70 percent of its population, he
said.
The remaining 30 percent emigrated to neighboring countries, and
thousands went as far as the western United States, where their
families remain today, he said.
"It brought many people here to start a new beginning," Armenian said.
The genocide, which ranks among the largest of the 20th century,
according to the United Nations, was the result of a political and
religious struggle in the Ottoman Empire between the ruling Turkish
government and Armenian citizens.
During the height of World War I, the Islamic "Young Turks" government
clashed with a majority Christian Armenian population, Armenian said.
Fearing its Armenian population was supporting Russia, also a
Christian nation, the Young Turks, who allied with Germany and
Austria-Hungary, began exterminating Armenian men of military age. The
genocide lasted through 1923 and eventually included Armenian women
and children.
To this date, the Turkish government does not acknowledge the
genocide. But Armenian has worked with both state and local officials
to recognize what happened.
Earlier this month, Gov. Brian Sandoval issued a proclamation
declaring April 19-26 "Days of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide."
And Friday, the Armenian American Cultural Society of Las Vegas will
host a groundbreaking ceremony at Sunset Park for a permanent Las
Vegas memorial.
"It's important for our community as well as the general public to
know this story," Armenian said. "We're very grateful for the state of
Nevada for giving us hope and opportunity."
Among the politicians attending the ribbon-cutting were Rep. Dina
Titus, D-Nev., Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., and Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/armenian-americans-open-honorary-consulate-henderson