From: Assembly <info@aaainc.org>
Subject: AAA: Assembly Mourns Loss of Armenian Genocide Survivor
Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: info@aaainc.org
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
April 24, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org
ASSEMBLY MOURNS LOSS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVOR
Armine Dedekian Remembered for Her Activism, Community Support
Watertown, MA – As Armenians everywhere mark the 91st anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, the Assembly was saddened to learn that Armine
Dedekian, a survivor of those horrific crimes, passed away April 19 in
her Watertown, Massachusetts home. Dedekian was 93 years old.
“The Armenian Assembly mourns the loss of Armine Dedekian and wishes
to express its sincere condolences to her family members and loved
ones,” said Assembly Board of Trustees Counselor and Vice Chair Robert
A. Kaloosdian. “In her memory, we reaffirm our commitment to educate
the world about the Armenian Genocide and help create a better future
for all humanity.”
Armine Dedekian, née Kailian, was born in Banderma, in the province of
Bursa, Western Turkey. That same year, her father was murdered and
Dedekian and her young mother fled to Tekirdagh, near Constantinople.
Unfortunately, the family was not safe there as the Turks soon forced
them from their homes and onto an arduous journey through the Syrian
Desert. Dedekian and her mother reached Sham, Syria but were
separated soon after and Dedekian was raised by family members. In
1929, Dedekian, at the age of 14, reunited with her mother in Ellis
Island and later settled with her in Massachusetts. She married
Sarkis Dedekian and together they raised two children.
During her lifetime, Dedekian helped raise awareness of the attempted
annihilation of the Armenians by the Ottoman Turkish government. She
discussed her family’s tragic experiences with the national media,
including the Boston Globe, in an effort to draw national attention to
the crimes. She was also actively involved with the Armenian Relief
Society, the Armenian Renaissance Association and Saint Stephen’s
Armenian Apostolic Church.
Recently Dedekian became an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”)
along with the Armenian Assembly of America and seven other
individuals in the case of Griswold, et al., vs. Driscoll et. al.,
filed in the United States District Court for the District of
Massachusetts. She participated in the amicus curiae brief for she
felt that the case was a denialist tactic by the plaintiffs which
included the Assembly of Turkish American Association and others who
referred to the Armenian Genocide as controversial in their Complaint.
Kaloosdian says that Dedekian was among the last remaining genocide
survivors in the greater Boston community. He recalled her excitement
to take part in the federal case and added that her passing, at this
time, has created renewed focus on her extraordinary life and memory.
The Armenian Assembly is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issue. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR#2006-038
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress