Club of Young Diplomats
Yerevan State University
1 Alex Manoogian str., Suite 29
Yerevan, 375049, Armenia
Tel: (3741) 554612
E-mail: diplo@freenet.am
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2004
Contact: Erik Grigoryan
Email: diplo@freenet.am
Club of Young Diplomats to host Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier
Yerevan – The Club of Young Diplomats at Yerevan State University
(YSU) will host Mr. Harut Sassounian, the publisher of The California
Courier, on Wednesday May 12, at 2 pm, at Charents Hall (YSU Linguist’s
Building, 2nd floor).
Mr. Sassounian will discuss a wide range of issues, including the
campaign against the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the British
Ambassador to Armenia and lobbying for the recognition of the Genocide
in the U.S. and worldwide. He will focus on political issues of
special interest to the students during the question and answer period.
“It will be a great honor and a pleasure to host Mr. Sassounian at
our Alma Mater and have him share with us his exceptional experience
as a political activist, lobbyist, columnist and community leader,”
said the President of the Club, Erik Grigoryan. “We are thrilled that
he was able to find time in his extremely busy schedule to speak to
the students of Yerevan State University,” Grigoryan added.
The British Ambassador to Armenia made false and offensive statements
on the Armenian Genocide during a press conference marking the
first anniversary of her diplomatic posting in Armenia on January
20. Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt was reported as saying: “Great
Britain accepts that the events of 1915 were mass killings (of the
Armenian population), the responsible for which are the Turks. I see
no problem calling it brutality. It shouldn’t have taken place even
in the course of war. But, I do not think that recognizing the events
as genocide would be of much use.”
The Club of Young Diplomats of Yerevan State University joined
the worldwide campaign initiated by Harut Sassounian against the
British Envoy’s denial. The website, or
was launched to post the latest
developments on this issue as well as letters, articles, and other
relevant documents. The Club issued a press release calling on the
British Ambassador to apologize for her statement and urged the Foreign
Minister of Armenia to take a more resolute stand on this issue.
Mr. Sassounian has a life-long involvement in various Armenian
causes. As the representative of a non-governmental organization in
Geneva Switzerland, he was part of a small team of Armenian activists
who lobbied for years until the successful recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the United Nations in 1985. His political commentaries are
reprinted in Armenian and non-Armenian newspapersthroughout the world.
Mr. Sassounian formed the United Armenian Fund, a coalition of
seven major Armenian-American organizations, to provide humanitarian
aid to Armenia in a coordinated manner after the Spitak Earthquake
of 1988. In the past 15 years, the UAF has shipped to Armenia $387
million worth of assistance. In addition, as the Vice-Chairman of The
Lincy Foundation, he has helped oversee the implementation of $170
million of infrastructure and lending projects in Armenia. He holds
a degree in International Relations from Columbia University in New
York and an MBA from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.
The Club of Young Diplomats at YSU is a member of confederation of the
student Clubs working under the YSU Trade-Union devoted to empowering
students through education and research in global developments,
foreign policy, governance, security issues and social sciences
by constructing a foundation of knowledge and shaping the public
dialogue among the students. For further information on the Club
and its activities, call (374-1) 554612 or email: diplo@freenet.am.