ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: zoryan@zoryaninstitute.org

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: GEORGE SHIRINIAN
DATE: May 13, 2004 Tel: (416) 250-9807

Toronto – Turkish scholar Dr. Taner Akçam will be speaking about his new
book, From Empire to Republic: Turkish Nationalism and the Armenian
Genocide in several cities in the coming weeks.

Dr. Akçam is one of the first Turkish academics to acknowledge and discuss
openly the genocide of the Armenians by the Ottoman Turkish government in
1915. He is one of a handful of scholars who are challenging their
homeland’s insistent declarations that the organized slaughter of Armenians
did not occur; and he is the first Turkish specialist to use the word
“genocide” publicly in this context. His new book represents the first
scholarly attempt to both document the Genocide and understand that
genocide from a perpetrator, rather than victim perspective, and to
contextualize fully the events of 1915 within Turkey’s political history,
and western political policies towards the region more generally.

Taner Akçam was born in northeastern Turkey and became interested in
politics at an early age. He was active in Turkish politics until he fled
to Germany as a political refugee, where he received a Ph.D. from Hanover
University. Dr. Akçam is the author of numerous books and articles in
English, German and Turkish. Through his research, writings, and lectures,
he has worked tirelessly and courageously to help the Turkish people come
to terms with their history and to bridge the gap between Turks and
Armenians. He is currently Visiting Associate Professor of History at the
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

The schedule of his lectures is as follows:

Thursday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.
Boston-Cambridge. Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, 79 John
F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge, MA. Starr Auditorium. Parking is available at
the Harvard Square Parking Garage at the corner of Eliot and JFK streets or
at the Charles Hotel Parking Garage. This lecture is co-sponsored by the
Zoryan Institute for Contemporary Armenian Research and Documentation, the
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, the Mashtots Chair
in Armenian Studies at Harvard, and the Harvard Armenian Society. For more
information contact the Zoryan Institute at 617-497-6713 or NAASR at
617-489-1610.

Friday, May 21, 6:30 p.m.
Montreal. McGill University, Moot Court, New Chancellor Day Hall Law
Faculty, 3644 Peel. This lecture is co-sponsored by the Zoryan Institute of
Canada and the Armenian Students’ Associations of Concordia, McGill, and
the University of Montreal. For more information contact the Zoryan
Institute of Canada, 416-250-9807.

Saturday May 22, 6:30 p.m.
Montreal. Bolsahay Cultural Association, 2855 Victor Dore. This lecture is
co-sponsored by the Zoryan Institute of Canada, the Bolsahay Cultural
Association and the Armenian General Benevolent Union of Montreal. For more
information contact the Zoryan Institute of Canada, 416-250-9807.

Sunday, May 23, 7:30 p.m.
Toronto. Glendon College, 2275 Bayview Ave. (at Lawrence), Dining Hall.
Parking is free. This lecture is organized by the Zoryan Institute of
Canada, with the participation of the Armenian Association of Toronto, the
Armenian Evangelical Church of Toronto, the Armenian General Benevolent
Union of Toronto, the Armenian Missionary Association of Canada, the
Armenian National Committee of Toronto, the Armenian Students’ Associations
of Ryerson University, University of Toronto and York University, the
Bolsahay Cultural Association, the Canadian Armenian Business Council, Holy
Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Gregory’s Armenian Catholic Church,
St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church, Social Democrat Henchak Party, and
other organizations. For more information contact the Zoryan Institute of
Canada, 416-250-9807.

Friday, June 4, 6:30 p.m.
New York-Manhattan. City University of New York Graduate Center, 365 Fifth
Avenue, Elebash Recital Hall. This lecture is co-sponsored by the Zoryan
Institute for Contemporary Armenian Research and Documentation and the
Middle East & Middle
Eastern American Center of CUNY. For more information contact the Zoryan
Institute of Canada, 416-250-9807.

Admission to all lectures is free. A question-and-answer period will follow
the lecture. Copies of Dr. Akçam’s new book, From Empire to Republic will
be on sale and available for signing.