Fresno: Armenian Genocide Commemoration Preliminary Calendar of Events

February 15, 2015 By administrator

January 2-25, 2015 “Remembering Armenia” Photography Exhibit

Dr. Jane Kardashian and Michael Karibian

Spectrum Gallery, 608 E. Olive Ave, Fresno, California

Art Hop Reception Jan 8, 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Open: Thursday 12:30-5:00 p.m.

Friday 12:30-8:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Admission Free

January 24, 2015 Sayat Nova Choral Group of Los Angeles Hamazkayin

First Armenian Presbyterian Church

430 S. First Street, Fresno, California

January 8-February1 “/alter/pieces: degrees of sacrifice”

Hazel Antaramian-Hoffman art exhibit

Art Hop reception, Jan 8, 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Fig Tree Gallery 644 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, California

Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12:00-4:00 p.m. Admission Free

February 11, 2015 “The Armenian Genocide in Film: Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives” Part I, first in a three-part series of lectures by Kazan visiting Professor Dr.Myrna Douzjian (UCLA).

Organized by the Armenian Studies Program, California State University, Fresno

University Business Center, Alice Peters Auditorium Room 191 7:30 p.m.

Admission Free

February 21, 2015 Armenian Cultural Day

(Backgammon Tournament, Music, Dancing, Costumes,

Arts and Crafts, Food Demonstrations, Coffee Reading) 2:00 p.m.

Fresno, Art Museum, 2233 N. First Street, Fresno, California 93703

Open Thursdays-Sundays 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Admission: $5.00 for non-members, Free for members

Children under 5 years of age are free

March 2- April 9 Art Exhibits:

“Armenia Observed”

Photography by Peter Carapetian

and they walked for you and for me

Installation by Joyce Gostanian Kierejczyk

Art Space Gallery, Fresno City College Admission Free

1101 E. University Ave., Fresno, California

Art Hop Reception March 9, 2014 4:00-8:00 p.m.

Hours: Monday/Tuesday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.,

Wednesday/Thursday 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Closed Friday-Sunday

Closed March 30-April 3

March 8, 2015 Chookasian Ensemble and Dance Troup

Fresno: Armenian genocide monument under construction at Fresno State (video)

February 11, 2015 By administrator

A steel rebar form took shape at Fresno State Tuesday for a memorial that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Concrete is to be poured starting Wednesday for the memorial. It will be completed in time to mark the anniversary of the beginning of the genocide, which is April 24. During the genocide, as many as 1.5 million Armenians were killed from 1915 to 1923 by Ottoman Turks.

Work on the Armenian Genocide Monument at Fresno State progresses. The monument is on the Maple Mall, just south of the Satellite Student Union. Video by John Walker/The Fresno Bee THEFRESNOBEE

Author to speak at Fresno State on early 1900s Armenian life

January 7, 2015 By administrator

By Rory Appleton, The Fresno Bee

Vahé Tachjian will deliver a talk on Armenian daily life from 1908 to 1915 at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in Room 191 of Fresno State’s University Business Center.

The lecture will open the Armenian Studies Program’s Spring Lecture Series and will focus on Armenians in the Kharpert/Harput region of the Ottoman Empire. It looks at first-hand accounts from the region during the years leading up to the Armenian Genocide.

Tachjian is the director of the Houshamadyan Project, which looks at the French occupation of Cilicia, Syria and Lebanon between the world wars, Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and refugee problems in the Middle East.

Contact Rory Appleton: (559) 441-6015, rappleton@fresnobee.com

Inauguration of the foundations of the future memorial of the Armenian Genocide at the University of California, Fresno

November 7, 2014 By administrator

Hundreds of people have recently attended the foundation of the Armenian Genocide memorial at the University of California, Fresno. The memorial to be inaugurated next year the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

According to the newspaper “The Fresno Bee” among the public who attended the ceremony it was noted, in addition to members of the Armenian community, many political leaders and representatives of the University of California, Fresno. President of the University, Joseph Castro said in his speech “Our main purpose is education, which also corresponds to this initiative. Our history is full of students and teachers and friends without whom we could not become a university high level. “The representative of the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles, Levon Minassian thanked the University of California for this wonderful initiative and the Armenian community who supported the project. “On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, the erection of this memorial reflects the importance of community and the Armenian-American life,” said Levon Minassian.

Krikor Amirzayan

Fresno State student explores her Armenian birthright

November 7, 2014 By administrator

By Marine Vardanyan The Fresno Bee November 7, 2014

Birthright Armenia. Those two words represent a program that is beyond description.

Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to experience Armenia in its entirety — not as a tourist,

but as an Armenian, returning to her roots on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment.

Birthright Armenia helped make my dream into a reality. To return to Armenia with a purpose. To immerse myself into the Armenian life. And to build

connections with young Armenians who share the same love, faith and vision for the country.

Birthright Armenia is a program that empowers young diasporans, ages 20-32, to

travel to Armenia as interns and volunteers in their desired fields. Not only does Birthright

Armenia connect the participants to internships, but they also provide opportunities to gain

unique insight into Armenia through forums, socials, community service projects, language-

lessons, and excursions.

From meeting with Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, to visiting the 21st century Ayb

School, to cleaning up a park in Hrazdan, and driving a tractor with a wagon full of Birthrighters

through a village in Karabakh, Birthright Armenia truly made my summer an adventure full of

bright memories and new lessons.

An incredibly special part of my experience was meeting and connecting with volunteers from

all over the world, ranging from Germany, Egypt, Argentina, and more. We danced together,

sang together and learned together. I encountered both Armenians and non-Armenians with

fascinating stories and backgrounds, each unique, yet sharing the same passion for making

a difference in Armenia. My journey with Birthright Armenia gifted me with long-lasting

friendships that I will forever cherish.

Birthright Armenia also connected me to CivilNet, an organization that provides online advocacy

news and journalism in Armenian and English, covering local, regional, and international

stories. As an intern, I was given the opportunity to work on a variety of assignments

alongside journalists such as Maria Titizian and Salpi Ghazarian.

Every morning, I awoke with

excitement for what awaited me at my job. I strolled down Tumanyan Street towards Northern

Avenue, happily aware of the sunlight, of the tall buildings, and active life surrounding me. The

assortment of tasks, the spontaneity of each workday, and the atmosphere of the office made

CivilNet an ideal place that I grew to love dearly.

On my first day, I was sent out to cover a protest at the Afrikyans Home, a historic site that the municipality recently demolished.

On my second day, I translated an Armenian video report about the border-village of Chinari,

which regularly experiences Azerbaijani gunfire, and recorded the English voice-over.

Afterward, a viewer donated $3,000 to the family featured in the video. I translated numerous

articles and helped with several news stories, some which involved going out of town, for

example to a village in Armavir province for a first-aid class and to the village of Teghut in the

province of Lori.

CivilNet welcomed me with open arms and made my internship an eye-opening experience.

My assignments, interactions, and adventures allowed me to uncover the issues in Armenia

along with gaining real-life experience in journalism.

Birthright Armenia

has much to offer, however, it is how one takes advantage of the opportunities that produces

unforgettable and amazing experiences. Allow yourself to be inspired, expose yourself to the

new and unknown, and trust in your ability to make a difference.

To all my Armenian peers, I encourage you to look into this program. Whether it’s for a few

weeks or a few months — do yourself a favor by joining Birthright Armenia. I promise that you

will not be disappointed.

Learn more by visiting: http://www.birthrightarmenia.org/en/.

Marine Vardanyan is a Fresno State senior majoring in public health and minoring in Armenian studies and mass communications and journalism. She is the president of the Armenian Students Organization, editor for the Hye Sharzhoom student newspaper and radio host for the 90.7 KFSR Hye Oozh Show. She was born in Armenia and was graduated from Duncan Polytechnic High School in Fresno.

California Fresno, establishes first Armenian honorary consul

October 20, 2014 By administrator

By Andrea Castillo The Fresno Bee October 19, 2014

Fresno is now home to the country’s first Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia.

Armenian dignitaries and Fresno County representatives are hosting an inaugural ceremony for the new consul at 5 p.m. Monday on the 8th floor of the Pacific Southwest Building.

Berj Apkarian, executive director of physician relations at Community Medical Centers, was appointed honorary consul during a county Board of Supervisors meeting last month. He immigrated to Fresno from Syria in 1979.

Apkarian said the voluntary appointment is an honor and a privilege. For his first big project as consul, Apkarian said he wants to take a team of medical and dental professionals to Armenia next October to host a medical education conference and provide free care for needy people in rural communities.

“In addition to the project itself, my goal is to establish a closer tie between the central San Joaquin Valley and Armenian commerce, (culture, medicine) — all aspects of bringing two nations and communities closer,” he said.

Fresno has one other honorary consul — Ed Fanucchi, of Italy — and one official consul — Vicente Sanchez Ventura of Mexico. Armenians around the country currently get visas, citizenship documents and other diplomatic services through the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles.

“Given the size of our community, that’s just not representative,” said Fresno County Board of Supervisors Chairman Andreas Borgeas.

Now, those services will be available in Fresno.

Borgeas, whose wife is Greek Armenian, had pushed for the honorary consul since he helped the city of Fresno establish a sister city relationship with the city of Etchmiadzin, Armenia in 2009. While he was on the City Council, he sent a letter of request in 2012 to Grigor Hovhannissian, then the L.A.-based Armenian Consul General. He said the ceremonial position resulted from several years of work with the Armenian embassy in Washington, Armenia’s foreign ministry in Yerevan and the U.S. State Department.

The appointment is huge from a regional standpoint, Borgeas said, considering that Los Angeles and San Francisco have many more diplomatic institutions.

“This is a matter of regional pride,” he said. “It shows that Fresno is evolving and diversifying its interests that reflect the ethnic makeup of our area.”

Armenians first arrived in Fresno in the 1870s and continued through the Hamidian Massacres of the late 1800s, the Armenian Genocide from 1915-1922, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of the Republic of Armenia. The community has since established local educational institutions, such as Fresno State’s Armenian Studies Program, religious organizations, two Armenian-American newspapers — Asbarez and The California Courier and a yearly cultural festival.

Now, between 40,000 and 50,000 Fresno area residents are Armenian, Apkarian said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be attended by representatives from the Republic of Armenia, the Armenian-American community, members of Congress and the state Legislature, as well as county and other local officials, including Tigran Sargsyan, ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in the United States and Sergey Sarkisov, consul general for the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles.

Contact Andrea Castillo: acastillo@fresnobee.com, (559) 441-6279 or @andreamcastillo on Twitter.

If you go:

What: Inauguration of first Honorary Consul of Republic of Armenia in the United States, ribbon cutting ceremony

Where: 8th floor, Pacific Southwest Building, 1060 Fulton Mall in Fresno

When: 5 p.m., Monday

Armenians to break ground on Genocide monument in Fresno

October 12, 2014 By administrator

The Armenian Community of the San Joaquin Valley will break ground on a monument dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The event will take place at the Fresno State Maple Mall, located south of the Satellite Student Union, Fresno, California, U.S., on Nov 2, according to Asbarez.

Built from béton brut (architectural concrete) and tufa stones, the monument will embody symbols of cultural meaning to the Armenian people. Its principal components will be arranged in a circular pattern and angled inwards, reminiscent of the Tsitsernakabert memorial in Armenia. The nine pillars that will comprise the body of the structure represent the six provinces of historic Armenia, Cilicia, the Diaspora, and the Republic of Armenia. An incomplete halo will be set above the columns, signifying both the fracture left by the Genocide and the unity of the Armenian people.

The ceremony will mark construction of the memorial, which will be christened on April 24, 2015.

As many as 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives in the period 1915—1923 at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish government. On April 24 1915, the Young Turk regime arrested and eventually executed hundreds of Armenian religious, academic, and political leaders—it was the first step in its intent to exterminate an entire people. Many succumbed to starvation and exhaustion during state-mandated deportations or “death marches” that left Western Armenia devoid of its native inhabitants even to this day. Others were murdered outright, often in ways that defy all sense of humanity. According to historians, legal experts, and more than 20 nations throughout the world, the planned and systematic nature of these atrocities clearly constitute a genocide as defined by the United Nations’ Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee—Fresno is an organization made-up of representatives from religious, educational, social, and political organizations of the Central Valley. The group’s goals are to commemorate the 1.5 million martyrs who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish government; to educate others about the Armenian Genocide and historical injustice; and to inspire people to overcome adversity through the story of the survivors’ of the Armenian Genocide. In addition to the monument, the AGCC—Fresno is organizing and promoting numerous events in the coming year.

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres, and deportations involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, majority of U.S. states, parliaments of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium and Wales, National Council of Switzerland, Chamber of Commons of Canada, Polish Sejm, Vatican, European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.

Photo: Asbarez

Fresno State Publishes ‘My Name Is Armen’

September 24, 2014 By administrator

FRESNO, Calif.—“My Name Is Armen – A Life in Column Inches” by Fresno State alumna and Asbarez columnist Armen Bacon of Fresno will be published in November by The Press at California State University, Fresno.

The book ($20 paper, ISBN 978-0-912201-49-8) is based on a decade’s worth of Bacon’s essays, many of them originally written as columns for The Fresno Bee and Asbarez News. The book is organized thematically and covers the gamut of culture and heritage, family, friends, love/loss, life travels and advice.

Bacon is a wife, mother, grandmother, professional woman and author. She describes herself as a writer of docu-memories for the soul and the human condition – “connective tissue that makes us all more human.”

For two decades, she served as administrator of communications and public relations for the Fresno County Office of Education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Fresno State and a master’s degree in organizational management.

She made her authorial debut with “Griefland – An Intimate Portrait of Love, Loss and Unlikely Friendship” (Globe Pequot Press, 2012).

“My Name Is Armen” is $20 and can be ordered through The Press website.

The mission of The Press is to publish great literature by both emerging and established voices, scholarly books that expand the horizons of human knowledge and other works that promote the rich cultural heritage of California’s Central Valley.

Fresno ceremony marks 99 years since Armenian genocide (Video)

April 25, 2014 By administrator

Armenians gather outside Fresno City Hall for a flag-raising ceremony hosted by the Armenian National Committee of America Central California, Thursday, April 24th 2014. The ceremony commemorated of the 99th year after the Armenian genocide of 1915. About 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children were systematically murdered at the order of the Ottoman Turkish government. http://www.fresnobee.com

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/04/24/3893110/fresno-ceremony-marks-99-years.html#storylink=cpy

Armenian Genocide commemoration events planned in Fresno area

April 19, 2014 By administrator

A series of events are planned this week in the Valley to mark the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, The Fresno Bee reports.

• Two showings of the movie, “Music to Madness: The Story of Komitas,” will be held Monday at the Tower Theater, 815 E. Olive Ave. in Fresno. One showing is at 2:30 p.m., the second at 7:30 p.m. The movie portrays an Armenian boy with a perfect singing voice who becomes a great performer as an adult, but who gets caught up in the genocide and ultimately falls into madness.

• On Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Ararat Cemetery, 1925 W. Belmont Ave. in Fresno, wreaths and flowers can be laid at the monument of the Remains of the Unknown Martyr of the Armenian Genocide. A requiem service will be officiated by Armenian clergy from throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

• At 9:30 a.m. Thursday, there will be a commemoration and flag raising at Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno St. Among the speakers will be Mayor Ashley Swearengin and Reps. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, and David Valadao, R-Hanford. Special attention will be paid to recent attacks by Syrian rebels on the city of Kessab, where many Armenians were living and have been uprooted in the fighting.

• A commemoration of the genocide will start at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church, 220 Third St. in Fowler. Fresno County Superior Court Judge Debra Kazanjian will be the featured speaker.

• And for the months of April and May, there is a photo exhibition at the UC Merced Center, 550 E. Shaw Ave. in Fresno, called “The Living Martyrs,” which shows children who survived the genocide.