PRESS RELEASE
April 23, 2006

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
Email: anca@anca.org
Web:

For more information:
Maral Habeshian
ANCA Telethon Office

ANCA Telethon Launches Web Site

Nationwide Phonathon and Internet Campaign Kicks Off Fundraising Effort

(Washington, DC – April 23, 2006) – The Armenian National Committee of
America Telethon today announced the launch of the web site devoted to
the telethon at (click on Telethon logo) where supporters
of the Armenian Cause can make online donations in advance of the May
21 st nationwide telethon broadcast. In addition, a nationwide
inbound and outbound telephone campaign has been launched to
personally reach out to thousands of Armenian households across the
country during the weeks preceding the telethon. The purpose of the
telethon is to raise financial resources that will propel the advocacy
for the Armenian Cause to a new level of sophistication and reach.
Proceeds will be used to broaden the ANCA’s advocacy and educational
programs on Armenian issues within the halls of Congress, the White
House, state and local governments and the media.

“The campaign leading up to the Telethon broadcast is meant to rally
into action everyone who believes in the Armenian Cause and use the
latest technological tools to unite us as a powerful force regardless
of geography, ” said Steve Artinian, member of the ANCA Telethon’s
outreach team. “There is an amazing pool of professional talent who
have come together to ensure the Telethon reaches as many households
as possible. We are pulling out the stops on this effort and intend
to raise the stakes for the Cause substantially in the process.”

The ANCA Telethon reflects the next stage for the many issues
confronting the community. For example, the ANCA’s media relations
efforts during the last year alone are driving increased media
coverage of the Armenian Genocide. The results are a rapidly
expanding public awareness of the issue and exposure of the shameful
position of the government of Turkey and the U.S. State Department
both of whom continue to deny the Genocide. The most recent example
of the ANCA’s anti-defamation efforts with the media has been
confronting PBS for attempting to broadcast their insulting panel
discussion that featured academics who have been paid by the Turkish
government to deny and distort the Genocide’s historical facts.
However, spurring increased media coverage across the country requires
greater vigilance in anti-defamation efforts to make sure the coverage
is accurate and repels the Turkish government’s denial campaign.
This stage has led to an increased need for professional resources and
media experts in order to continue winning in the court of public
opinion.

The ANCA Telethon will feature the ANCA’s many interesting and
successful programs asking for financial support. As a run up to the
broadcast, the online Internet campaign and phonathon will allow
people to show their support in advance of the broadcast. To make a
donation in advance, people can call 1-866-402-2622 (ANCA) or go to
and click on the Telethon logo to make a donation online.