Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email anca@anca.org
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
October 27, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth Chouldjian / Taline Ghazarian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA INAUGURATES NEW NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

— Foreign Minister Oskanian, Community Leadership and Grassroots
Activists Gather to Celebrate Milestone in the Growth of
Armenian American Political Influence in the Nation’s Capital

— Boujikian, Mouradian, Melkonian, and Aramian Families,
and The Lincy Foundation Honored for Major Donations

WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian American community and religious leaders
from throughout the United States joined with Armenia’s Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian for the inauguration, on October 21st, of
the Armenian National Committee of America’s (ANCA) new national
headquarters.

The centrally located, state of the art building provides the ANCA
with a permanent home in the heart of the nation’s capital and a
powerful platform from which to further expand the role that
Armenian Americans play in the formulation of U.S. foreign policy.

The blessing of the headquarters by Armenian Church leaders and the
formal ribbon cutting ceremony were preceded by a reception at the
nearby Beacon Hotel. In his welcoming remarks, ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian recognized the many dignitaries present,
and greeted the establishment of a new headquarters as a major
milestone in the growth, progress and reinvention of the Armenian
Cause.

During his moving remarks, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian stressed the importance of cooperation between the
Armenian government and the Diaspora on regional issues, democratic
and economic development, and the strengthening of the U.S.-Armenia
relationship. Welcoming the establishment of the new ANCA
headquarters, he shared that, "This organization is very close to
my heart and I want to thank all those people, whom I consider to
be real visionaries, who donated to this building because this
organization – simply judging from the work they have done and the
results they have achieved – has absolutely outgrown the space that
they were operating from. They deserve this building, they deserve
a better space, so that they can do more work."

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian offered thanks to the more than 10,000
individual donors who made the purchase of the new building
possible, noting that, "We are not simply an organization that is
able to call upon the wealth of a few, but rather we are an
organization that calls upon the grassroots . . . without their
involvement, their participation – morally and financially – we
cannot be successful." Hachikian specifically highlighted the
generosity of a number of prominent donors, including Mr. and Mrs.
Manas and Donnalee Boujikian, Mr. and Mrs. Khachig and Elo
Mouradian, Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Houri Melkonian, The Aramian
Irrevocable Trust, and the Lincy Foundation, who made the purchase
of the ANCA Headquarters and the expansion of key programs possible
through contributions of $100,000 or more.

In what proved to be the most poignant and moving remarks of the
day, Ms. Jocelyn Micolucci, beloved daughter of Mrs. Margaret
Aramian Ragan, and niece to Martha Aramian and Sue Aramian, spoke
of the important role of the ANCA in maintaining the connection
between Armenian generations. She stressed the importance of the
generation of Armenian Genocide survivors – represented by her own
grandparents Ghazar and Nevart Aramian – remaining connected to
their families through a shared devotion to the Armenian Cause. "I
am very pleased with this organization, as it is extremely
important for not just my generation but that of my children and
their children, to understand who and what my Medzhayrig and my
Medzmayrig were, and what we are as a people," explained Ms.
Micolucci, who was joined by her husband Louis at the ANCA building
inauguration.

Following the reception, the building was formally blessed by
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of the Eastern U.S., Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Western U.S.,
Armenian Apostolic Church of America Diocesan Legate Bishop Vicken
Aykazian, and Father Sarkis Aktavoukian of Soorp Khatch Armenian
Church in Washington, DC. After the formal ribbon cutting by
Foreign Minister Oskanian and ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, all in
attendance were treated to tours of the new building.

Among the Armenian government officials joining Minister Oskanian
at the opening were Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian and
Armenian Ambassador to the U.S, Tatoul Markarian. The Very Rev.
Rene Levonian and Dikran Youmshakian represented the Armenian
Missionary Association of America. The Armenian Relief Society was
represented as was the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural
Association, Homenetmen Armenian Athletic and Scouting Organization
and the Armenian Youth Federation.

The new ANCA headquarters was purchased in February to reinforce
the presence and expand the political power of Armenian Americans
in the United States. The four-story building, formerly owned by
AOL founder Steve Case, is located near prestigious Embassy Row,
blocks from the White House and the nation’s leading think tanks.
The newly renovated structure features the latest in computer,
communications, and networking technology.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress