Armenian National Committee of Burbank
361 East Magnolia Boulevard # C
Burbank, CA 91502
Phone: 818-562-1918
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:
PRESS RELEASE
February 19, 2007
Contact: Vahe Shahinian
Tel: 818.562.1928
Burbank ANC hosts presentation by ANCA national chairman at Woodbury
University
BURBANK, CA – Local community members from the Los Angeles area gathered
this past Friday evening at Woodbury University to attend a town hall
meeting featuring Armenian National Committee of America Chairman, Ken
Hachikian. This event was hosted by the Burbank ANC in cooperation with
several other Los Angeles area ANCs.
The audience was composed of attendants ranging from college students to
senior members of the community. Special guests included CA State
Assembly Member, Paul Krekorian, Glendale City Clerk, Ardashes
Kassakhian, Glendale School Board Member, Greg Krikorian, Glendale
Community College Professor, Dr. Levon Marashlian, and ANCA-WR Board
Chairman, Raffi Hamparian. The Town Hall Meeting focused on the current
congressional battle over Genocide recognition, the ramifications of the
Hrant Dink assassination and the ANC-driven effort to prevent
Genocide-denier Richard Hoagland from becoming U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia.
"This evening was a great opportunity for us to help connect the local
community with its advocates in our nation’s capital," noted Dr. Arbi
Ohanian, Chairman of the Burbank ANC.
The current Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res.106) is co-authored by
Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA-29) who represents Burbank along with
Glendale and Pasadena. The resolution calls upon the President to
ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights,
ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record
relating to the Armenian Genocide, and for other purposes.
In addition to his focus on the Genocide resolution, Hachikian discussed
the Armenian National Committee’s response to the assassination of Hrant
Dink, a leading Istanbul-based Armenian journalist who was murdered
outside the offices of his newspaper, Agos, amid a growing tide of
official Turkish government prosecutions and nationalist pressure to
silence his writings on the Armenian Genocide.
Hachikian also addressed the importance of preventing Richard Hoagland,
a diplomat whose denial of the Armenian Genocide, from becoming the next
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. Hoagland’s nomination has generated
widespread Congressional opposition and Armenian American community
outrage.
"It was good to have Ken in Los Angeles this evening providing us with
the perspective that comes from addressing these issues ‘on the ground’
in Washington, D.C.," remarked Marashlian.
The Armenian National Committee of America 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.
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PHOTO CAPTION: ANCA Chairman, Ken Hachikian, addresses members of
the Los Angeles Armenian community at Woodbury University on Friday.