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The Promise director to be honored at ANCA-WR banquet

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The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region will award Terry George, the award-winning film director and writer of “The Promise”, with the prestigious ANCA-WR Arts and Letters Award at the 2017 Annual Gala Banquet on Sunday, October 8 at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California, Asbarez reports.

“By taking on such a monumental project of portraying the human story surrounding the Armenian Genocide on the big screen with the groundbreaking film, The Promise, Terry George and his team opened a door which has been closed to filmmakers for decades and set the groundwork enabling future films to tackle this tragic chapter of modern times head-on. As Armenians, we were so proud and so emotional to finally see our story in mainstream theaters screening to wider audiences. This would not have been accomplished without Kirk Kerkorian’s sense of duty and generosity, the vision and talent of Terry George, and the long-term commitment and dedication of Eric Esrailian and his entire team. For this, we are so grateful, and the ANCA-WR Board of Directors wanted to recognize this accomplishment by honoring Terry George at our Annual Gala Banquet not only for his work on The Promise, but overall for his steadfast voice as a defender of human rights,” remarked ANCA-WR Chair Nora Hovsepian.

Terry George is a passionate director who fulfilled the vision of Kirk Kerkorian by creating a film which educated the public about the perseverance of the Armenian nation. As stated by Kerkorian’s longtime attorney, “The Promise will be a film celebrating the Armenian people and, in the context of a wonderful love story, will open the door to awareness and the championing of human rights.”

As the filming progressed, George and Survival Pictures were faced with multiple hardships, including state-sponsored Turkish efforts to sabotage its performance. In the end, however, they overcame these obstacles and ensured the movie’s successful release. The film went on to screen in the Vatican and the United States Capitol, as well as at various venues worldwide.

Terry George masterfully depicts historical sagas, whether it be the Genocide of the Armenians at the turn of the 20th Century or the Rwandan Genocide which began in the Spring of 1994. “The Promise” is a true testament to George’s commitment to truth and justice. Through the tragic love story of Michael and Anna, the film demonstrates the horrid reality of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. “The Promise” reveals the atrocities carried out against the Armenians, while showcasing the unsung heroes – from Ambassador Morgenthau to the Near East Relief missionaries- who jeopardized their safety to save what was left of a People at risk of obliteration.

For his tireless efforts and commitment to increasing consciousness of historically significant topics of interest to the Armenian people, Terry George is unequivocally deserving of this award. He has done everything in his power to help educate the world on sensitive Armenian issues through his passion for film production.

The 2016 ANCA-WR Annual Gala Banquet will be held on Sunday, October 8, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, California. The main event will begin at 4:30p.m. with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction. A three-course dinner will follow at 6:00 p.m. accompanied by a powerful program and presentation of awards.

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ANCA-WR HyeVotes Initiative Registers Over 25,000 Voters in the State of California

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hayvotLOS ANGELES – In a welcome development days before California’s June 7th primary, the ANCA – Western Region HyeVotes initiative announced that it has registered nearly 10,000 voters over the last five months. The recent success in registering voters is matched with the ANCA HyeVotes proven track record of registering approximately 25,000 voters across the State of California over the last several years. The Los Angeles Times and the Sacramento Bee both recently published articles citing the emerging growth of the Armenian American voters as a growing political force in the State of California.

Most recently, the ANCA-WR HyeVotes initiative – led by a talented team of dedicated ANCA-Western Region team members – has been active at hundreds of Armenian American gatherings – big and small – seeking to engage those who are eligible to vote, but are not registered. This effort has included outreach to thousands of households, extensive phone banking and canvassing to Armenian American homes across the State of California and the use of advanced technology to identify potential voters. On the last day of voter registration for the California Primary Elections alone, the HyeVotes team registered hundreds of new voters in less than 12 hours, with the last walk-in to the headquarters at 11:37pm.

“Before one ballot is counted on June 7th, I can say this, the ANCA-WR HyeVotes initiative has been a success,” remarked ANCA-Western Region Chair Nora Hovsepian, Esq. “By registering thousands of new voters and educating the community about the electoral process we are working to strengthen America’s democracy. Our ANCA-WR HyeVotes effort has also been effective in battling against the low voter turn out that has historically plagued local, state and federal elections across the State of California – and especially here in southern California. In the coming weeks and months, we will also be expanding our HyeVotes efforts in other states in the region to ensure that issues of importance to our communities are properly represented, ” she added.

Former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made the following remark on July 8, 1938 in Marietta, Ohio that gets to the essence of why the ANCA-WR HyeVotes effort is so essential to building a better and stronger America. “Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” The ANCA HyeVotes initiative is fresh proof that America’s democracy works best when its citizens embrace their responsibility to vote.

The ANCA-WR HyeVotes initiative was launched by the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region in 2012, as a region wide, non-partisan initiative to engage community members in the electoral process. The HyeVotes efforts in coalition with a network of non-profit organizations, student groups, and community members, are intended to register and encourage the community to vote in Elections while also serving as a source for voter information.

The fundamental goals of the ANCA-WR HyeVotes initiative are to increase the number of registered voters, to create public awareness regarding the importance of civic engagement and the electoral process and to provide voters with comprehensive nonpartisan information about the contests on their ballots. The ANCA-WR HyeVotes initiative also encourages civic engagement and volunteerism by partnering with local non-profit organizations and student groups.

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices and supporters around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

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