PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee
Illinois
1701 North Greenwood Road
Glenview, IL 60026
Contact: Greg Bedian
Tel: 917 428 1918
Fax: 718 651 3637
E-mail: ancaer@anca.org
Web:
ANC ILLINOIS APPLAUDS GOV. BLAGOJEVICH FOR SIGNING GENOCIDE CURRICULUM BILL
Chicago, IL- The Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Illinois praised
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for honoring his pledge to sign
legislation mandating that Illinois public school students receive
instruction on the Armenian Genocide and other acts of genocide.
“The Armenian American community is pleased that the Governor has signed
this bill to successfully complete the enactment process,” stated Greg
Bedian, ANC of Illinois chairperson. “By signing this bill, the Governor
not only demonstrated his concern for victims of previous genocides, he has
played an active part in a process that will hopefully help deter future
genocides.”
The bill, HB312, cleared the legislature with commanding margins earlier
this spring, passing the Illinois House on March 1st and passing the Senate
on May 11th. Soon after the bill won passage, the Illinois Information
Service (part of the state’s official government media communications
office) reported that Gov. Blagojevich confirmed that he would sign the
bill. That commitment was later confirmed by community members who met with
the Governor. Blagojevich also mentioned his support for genocide education
in a recent gubernatorial proclamation issued to mark the 90th Anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide. In it the Governor stated “both recognition and
education concerning past atrocities such as the Armenian Genocide is
crucial in the prevention of future crimes against humanity.”
After the bill was introduced, the ANC helped to mobilize Armenian and
non-Armenians alike to work for passage of the bill, which was introduced by
Representatives John A, Fritchey (D-11) and Paul D. Froelich (R-56). Upon
passage in the Illinois House by a vote of 96-11, HB312 was forwarded to the
Senate where Senators Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16) and Ira Silverstein (D-8)
led the effort to a 47-5 victory in the Senate. During the weeks leading up
to the bill’s passage, the ANC lobbied Illinois House and Senate members to
work for passage of the bill by organizing grassroots email, telephone and
letter-writing campaigns as well as conducting office visits with
legislators. The ANC also made presentations to various groups to encourage
their participation in this activity.
“It was gratifying to see that our efforts led to a successful outcome,”
stated Karine Birazian, who heads up the ANC of Illinois’ Genocide Education
Committee. “It’s important for the many constituents, and especially the
public school students, who participated in this endeavor to see that their
voices were heard and that their actions could make a difference on such an
important issue as Genocide education.”
HB312 provides “that in addition to the unit of instruction studying the
events of the Holocaust, the curriculum of every public elementary school
and high school shall include a unit of instruction studying other acts of
genocide across the globe, including, but not limited to, the Armenian
Genocide, the Famine-Genocide in Ukraine, and more recent atrocities in
Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Sudan.” With the passage of HB312, Illinois
joins several other states, including California and Massachusetts, which
have mandated expanded genocide education. Birazian added that the ANC will
be working with groups in those states as well as other organizations to
help assemble the necessary resources to help schools implement the new
requirements.
The Armenian National Committee of Illinois is a grassroots public affairs
organization serving to inform, educate, and act on a wide range of issues
concerning Armenian Americans throughout the state of Illinois.