14:23, 2 August, 2012
YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS: New York Times Best-Selling author Chris Bohjalian capped a full day on Capitol Hill with a compelling presentation of “The Sandcastle 
Girls,” his newly published novel about the Armenian Genocide, to a standing room only Congressional audience today. As Armenpress reports citing the Armenian National Committee of America, the event in support of the book, published by Doubleday, was co-hosted by Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsors, Representatives Robert Dold (R-IL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), and the ANCA.
“Today’s strong turn-out on Capitol Hill speaks very powerfully to Chris Bohjalian’s great talent as a story-teller who enlightens, educates, and-ultimately-empowers his readers,” said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. “His work explores-as only art can-the key unresolved human and moral issues of the Armenian Genocide, raising awareness of this crime, even as it reinforces our common resolve to seek its truthful and just resolution. We look forward to building on this excitement, here in Washington and in communities across our country, to finally get America on the right side of this issue, and to end forever the denial by Turkey of this still unpunished atrocity.”
Community members, who had earlier purchased copies of the book, stood in line to meet the author and have the novel signed before and after the official book presentation. ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian welcomed attendees and cited the important role that works like “The Sandcastle Girls” play in educating mainstream America about the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of Turkey’s Genocide denial.
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Representatives Schiff, Jackie Speier (D-CA) and David Cicilline (D-RI), as well as, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans and his wife Donna joined Congressional staff and community members at the event. The Armenian Ambassador, Tatoul Markarian, who is on travel outside of Washington, DC, was represented by senior diplomats Antranik Hovhannisyan and Harutyun Kojoyan. Among the notable figures publicly recognized at the event was popular actress and community activist Anne Bedian (Ani Nahabedian).
Rep. Schiff explained that Bohjalian’s novel, ”which has been so wonderfully reviewed, has a power of its own, to tell the story in very human terms, to bring us all into the living rooms of those who were lost and those who struggled through those dark times in the history of civilization. I think it is a vital part in the education of not only the Congress, but the Armenian people about the facts of the Armenian Genocide.”
Rep. Pallone told attendees that ”all of you being here and the author’s efforts constantly bring to our attention the need for recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” noting that it is an ongoing effort to secure Congressional reaffirmation of this crime.
Bohjalian opened his remarks by thanking the ANCA and the organization’s interns for bringing ”The Sandcastle Girls” to a Congressional audience and for their ongoing grassroots effort to represent Armenian American interests on Capitol Hill. ”One of the things that I have learned is that the ANCA is not merely a force of nature to be reckoned with,” said Bohjalian. ”The ANCA is a profoundly accurate moral compass and I will always be thankful for the profoundly important legislative work that they have done, that they are doing, and that they continue to do. So, I think you so much for taking me in your warm embrace.”
Bohjalian then thanked his readers, referring to them as the “medieval monks of the digital age, because you still care about what words, and reading and books mean to the soul.”
Bohjalian captivated the audience as he discussed the life journey that inspired him to write the book, and gave moving testament of his visits to the lands of his Armenian ancestors, to current day Armenia, and Anjar, Lebanon, the home of many who fought to defend the villages of Musa Dagh during the Genocide.
In a particularly poignant moment, Bohjalian described his last morning in Yerevan, when he caught a clear glimpse of Mount Ararat as he waited to board his flight home. ”There I was standing, at Gate A5 waiting for my flight, and I started weeping. I was weeping for my ancestors. I was weeping for the gift of this mountain and, I was weeping because I knew in my heart that ‘The Sandcastle Girls’ is the most important book that I was ever going to write; and, I was grateful beyond words, that I had been given that gift.”