Office of the Mayor
City of Los Angeles
200 N. Spring St. Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
PRESS RELEASE
February 23, 2007
Contact: Areen Ibranossian
213-922-9781
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA ANNOUNCES YEREVAN, ARMENIA AS LOS ANGELES’ NEWEST
SISTER CITY
(Los Angeles)-Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and Mayor Yervand
Zakharyan were joined by members of the Los Angeles City Council as
Mayor Villaraigosa signed the agreement making the City of Yerevan,
Armenia the newest sister city of Los Angeles.
`I know I am speaking on behalf of L.A. residents when I express my
deep admiration for the Armenian people, here and abroad, who have a
strong sense of national identity and have contributed greatly to the
economy and cultural fabric of this City,’ said Mayor Villaraigosa.
`I look forward to working with the Mayor of Yerevan to explore
opportunities that will promise social, economic, and cultural
benefits for both cities.’
Los Angeles is home to the largest Armenian population outside of
Armenia.
Over the years, Villaraigosa has demonstrated his support for the
Armenian people and their efforts to gain official recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. As Speaker of the California Assembly, he
supported resolutions putting the State of California on record
officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide. As Mayor, he recently
sent a letter to the U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi expressing
his support for the Congressional resolution that would ensure that
U.S. foreign policy reflect appropriate recognition, understanding,
and sensitivity of the Armenian Genocide and asking her to bring it to
a vote on the House floor. Over the past 10 years, he has
consistently attended and spoken at the annual Armenian Genocide
commemoration event that takes place on April 24.
The Sister City agreement signing ceremony took place in Council
Chambers after the mayors held a private meeting to discuss ways that
the two cities can work together.
Information on Yerevan, Armenia
Yerevan is the capital and largest city in Armenia. It is the
administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country.
Manufactures include chemicals, primary metals, machinery, rubber
products, plastics, textiles, and processed food. Yerevan is the
headquarters of major Armenian and international companies. Yerevan
is also the country’s financial hub, home to the Armenian National
Bank, the Armenian Stock Exchange, as well as some of the country’s
largest commercial banks. As the center for Armenian culture, Yerevan
is the site of Yerevan State University, the Armenian Academy of
Sciences, a historical museum, an opera house, a music conservatory
and several technical institutes. Its major tourist attractions are
the ruins of an Urartu and a Roman fortress.
The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC.
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Areen Ibranossian
Policy Analyst
Office of Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Areen.Ibranossian@lacity.org
(213) 922-9781