Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Armen Carapetian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANCA-WR LEADERSHIP SETS AGENDA FOR 2005
(Glendale, CA – December 5, 2004) The western region leadership of the
Armenian National Committee, including the newly appointed board of
directors and leaders from individual chapters throughout California
gathered at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada, California to set the agenda
for 2005. The meeting reviewed the organization’s accomplishments over
the last year and during the 108th Congress and then outlined the agenda
for western region state legislatures and the 109th Congress.
ANCA-WR Executive Director, Ardashes Kassakhian recapped the last year’s
accomplishments, highlighting national voter outreach efforts,
establishment of three new chapters in Arizona, Idaho and Montana and
successfully maintaining levels of foreign aid allocated to the Republic
of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh Republic by Congress. Kassakhian
provided a demographic breakdown of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues and conveyed the need to build up the Caucus in anticipation of
various bills which will be brought up for discussion in the upcoming
Congress.
Following Kassakhian’s presentation, newly appointed ANCA-WR Chair
Steven Dadaian lead a discussion about the ANC’s strategy in supporting
candidates in local, state, and federal elections, the role the ANC
would have in shaping U.S. foreign policy with a Republican controlled
Congress and White House and other state and local community
objectives. Dadaian pointed out that the ANC is not a partisan
organization and hence it works with all parties to advance issues of
critical concern to the Armenian-American community. Dadaian also
emphasized that Armenia’s economic development is a priority and thus
establishing and launching the California – Armenia Regional Trade
Office, authorized during the previous California state legislature,
will be a primary goal in 2005 in order to facilitate and increase the
exchange of goods and services between California and the Republic of
Armenia. Other objectives in the coming year will include efforts to
boost outreach into the public schools regarding including the Armenian
Genocide in school curriculum as well as efforts surrounding Turkey’s
petition to gain acceptance into the European Union.
“The ANCA intends to broaden our reach even further in the coming year
so that we can work together to reach our common goals,†stated
Dadaian. “This year will mark a expansion of the ANCA’s scope of
activities as we pursue our agenda, building on our successes from
previous years.â€Â
Fundraising strategies were also discussed at the briefing. The
ANCA-WR is a non-partisan, non-profit organization. A steady flow of
funding is needed to continue the organization’s activities which
include educating Armenian-Americans about the voting process, as well
as outreach to public officials in various offices. The ANCA-WR also
actively engages schools and other entities to educate the general
public about the Armenian Genocide, the Republic of Armenia, the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic (Artsakh), and other vital issues of concern to the
Armenian American community.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and
most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization.
Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and
supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations
around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the
Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
#####