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ANCA Central California and City of Fresno Mark Genocide Centennial

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Armen K. Hovannisian, Chairman of the Armenian Bar Association, speaks in Fresno.

FRESNO, Calif.—Again this April 24th the Armenian National Committee of America Central California with the support of the City of Fresno raised both the United States and Armenian flags in front of City Hall to commemorate the Armenian Genocide. This year, prompted by the Centennial, a march was organized that lead hundreds of demonstrators from the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic church, a distance of approximately 1.5 miles, to Fresno City Hall.

Long time ANCA CC member Paul Jamushian welcomed the crowd of 650 then noted the theme this year was “Never Forget”. The Master of Ceremonies, Debbie Poochigian, known for her strong view on the subject of “չմոռանալ” (“to not forget”) was then introduced. Immediately thereafter, Poochigian, also the Chairman of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors invited local Armenian church priests to start by paying tribute to our martyrs with the Lord’s Prayer in Armenian.

The Armenian flag was raised by the Fresno Sassoon Chapter of the Homenetmen Scouts. The United States flag was raised by the Design Science High School of Fresno Unified. Both national anthems were sang by Hygo Ohannessian with background music performed by the AUSA Sounds of Freedom Band. A seemingly made to order, perfectly timed wind made the flags waive as soon as they were raised.

Fresno Mayor Ashely Swearengin, a longtime supporter of Armenian-American issues said in her speech “We honor you and join you in remembering the events of 100 years ago.” The Mayor attended multiple ceremonies in commemoration of the centennial of the Genocide. “When I think back over just the last twenty four hours and I consider the emotion and the beauty of the commemoration ceremonies that we have seen this year, I am truly overwhelmed and I am not Armenian,” said the Mayor who was visibly touched by the community’s efforts.

MaryAlice Kaloostian, District Director of Senator Tom Berryhill relayed her grandmother’s and great grandmother’s story of survival. “They would steal what was ours and made it theirs,” said Kaloostian referring to the Ottoman Turks. Her family came from Kharpert and her grandmother had a scar on her head and ear. The scar on the ear was from a Turkish girl trying to pull her earring off because she wanted it for herself. “I shouldn’t be here today, if the Turks had been successful, none of us would be here today,” she said.

Congressman Jim Costa, a staunch supporter, also spoke at the commemoration. For many years he has been an advocate for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the United States. Costa, who has many childhood Armenian-American friends, is a part of the Armenian caucus in Washington D.C. and has heard many personal stories of the genocide from his friends. He closed by saying “silence is genocide’s best ally.”

A soon to be observer of the election in Artsakh, County Supervisor Andreas Borgeas was the next speaker. His presentation included the critical future of Artsakh as well as his wife’s grandmother’s personal experience as a survivor.

The keynote speaker for the morning was Armen K. Hovannisian, Chairman of the Armenian Bar Association. In a stirring speech to an audience who interrupted him with repeated applause, Hovannisian began by asking “Is the destruction of an entire national quantifiable? Is the decimation of nearly all of its people measurable? Is what was lost and what was taken recoverable by any stretch of imagination?” His questions immediately got the audience’s attention.

Toward the end of his speech, Hovannisian looked passionately at the crowd and stated, “We must wake up tomorrow with a consciousness that is both rooted in the Armenian Genocide and which raises up above it as well that insists that we Armenians forever more define our identity not by what was done to us but what we do from this day forward.”

Also part of the program was a selection of songs performaned by the Charlie Keyan Armenian Community School of Fresno.

Simon Zavarian Centennial Marked in Lori

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LORI, Armenia—The 100th anniversary of the passing of Armenian Revolutionary Federation founder and national hero Simon Zavarian was marked on Saturday in zavarian1his birthplace of Aygehad village, at his gravesite, with hundreds of ARF members, ARF Youth and Nigol Aghbalian Student Association, as well as almost all the residents of the village, along with invited guests and clergy.

Zavarian was one of the three founders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and part of Armenian national liberation movement, along with Kristapor Mikaelian and Stepan Zorian.

Zavarian was born in 1865 in Aygehat, Lori. He attended the college in Moscow, and later settled in Tiflis, where he met Kristapor Mikaelian and Stepan Zorian. They co-founded the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in 1890.

This political party gained public support by demanding reforms and taking up arms to defend Armenian citizens of the Ottoman Empire. As a cofounder of the party, he participated in the framework of the party’s Program and By-laws and served as a member of the ARF bureau until his death.

As an activist, he did research for the party and performed organizational work during his many travels to different worldwide locations. Zavarian traveled to Mush and Sassoun as a teacher and eventually settled in Istanbul, where he worked on the newspaper Azadamard.

During the 1908 Constitutional revolution in Turkey, he participated in the development of reforms for Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. Using the archives of the Istanbul Patriarchate and applied scientific researches, he developed a census of the number of Armenians living in Western Armenia.

He died in 1913 in Istanbul.

Saturday’s commemorative event began with a requiem Mass performed by parish priest of Odzoun and surrounding town Rev. Vrtanes Baghlian, accompanied by the Holy Mother Choir of Vanadzor’s St. Mary’s Church.

In his remarks, Father Baghlian pointed to the large number of young Armenians in attendance and said that their presence proves that the national spirit, which Zavarian embodied, will be an indivisible part of the lives of their lives to continue to realize the aspirations of the great leader.

Also speaking at the event were ARF Bureau member and historian Levon Mkrtchyan, Simon Zavarian organization chairman Gagik Shahverdian, historian and editor of Vem academic journal Dr. Gevork Khoudinian and principal of the school in Aygehad Paruyr Shahverdian.

The speakers outlined Zavarian’s important contributions to the Armenian reality and the undeniable role he has played in the advancement of the Armenian Cause, be it for ARF rank and file and Armenians in general.

Mkrtchyan said that 2015—the centennial of the Armenian Genocide—marks the 150th anniversary of Zavarian’s birth, which will provide another opportunity to reflect on the great accomplishments of the national hero and a fitting tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

At the conclusion of the event an oath ceremony administered by the Baruyr Hagopian of the ARF body in Iraq, several individuals joined the ranks of the ARF and the ARF Youth Organization.