PRESS RELEASE
Armenians Of Colorado Inc.
Press contact: Kim Christianian, [email protected]
P.O. Box 13854
Denver, Colorado 80201
Telephone: 303-588-5524
April 19, 2007
ENTIRE COLORADO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION OFFICIALLY CO-SPONSORS OF THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
Armenians of Colorado Inc.,(AOC) proudly announced today that every member
of the Colorado Congressional Delegation has signed on to the Congressional
Armenian Genocide Resolution (S/H Res.(s) 106), making Colorado the first
state to have complete unity in its representation in affirming the Armenian
Genocide.
Armenians of Colorado initiated the annual state joint resolution approved
unanimously for six consecutive years proclaiming April 24th as Colorado Day
of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. A last minute amendment brought to
the Senate floor by State Senator Steve Johnson provided for the forwarding
of the resolution to the ambassador and current government of Turkey.
At the request of Armenians of Colorado Inc., Colorado’s Governor Bill
Ritter also signed a moving proclamation detailing the events of the
Armenian genocide; as did Denver’s Mayor John Hickenlooper. The
proclamations have been a long standing tradition for AOC stemming back 25
years when Governor Lamm issued the first proclamation to coincide with the
installation of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque in the Armenian Garden
located on the grounds of the State Capitol. AOC was instrumental in having
the plaque placed at the Capitol. The headstone was designed by Architect
Varouj Hairabedian from Aspen, CO.
As part of the Armenian Genocide Commemorative events, Armenians of Colorado
hosted a lecture by Turkish scholar Taner Akçam, bestselling author and
Amnesty International `prisoner of conscience’ on April 15, 2007. Dr.
Akçam spoke to a standing room only audience on his recent book, A Shameful
Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility, at
Denver’s Mizel Museum.
`AOC is truly an amazing organization fueled by its diversity and
grass-roots efforts’ stated Kim Christianian, co-chair of the Armenian
Genocide Commemoration Committee for AOC. Armenians of Colorado is proud of
the partnerships it has fostered locally with the Mizel Museum and the
Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action (CCGAA) which sponsored
the comprehensive exhibit on Genocide The Dead Weight of Complacency, a dual
exhibit with Glocal artists’ interpretation of genocide. As a partner of
CCGAA, members of AOC were invited to the signing of the Colorado Darfur
Divestment bill today. Co-sponsor Senator Groff referenced the Armenian
Genocide Resolution when he spoke to the media and crowd gathered for the
signing.
Armenians of Colorado is pleased to be working with both the national
advocacy organizations in Washington; ANCA and the Armenian Assembly. `Not
one person alone could have accomplished what we have’ stated Ken Allikian
co-Chair of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee for AOC.
`Colorado’s Armenian Community is an energized group of constituents that
are educating our officials in government about one of the most horrendous
acts against humanity ever recorded in the history of the world’. Added Kim
Christianian `We find that our locally elected officials and their staff are
often very supportive of righteous causes and hope that our nationally
elected officials will follow suit and consider the clear messages coming
from across the many states and help establish the proper foreign policies,
especially the ones regarding Turkey and Armenia’.
AOC will hold the annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Ceremony this
Sunday April 22nd, 1:30PM at the Armenian Genocide Memorial plaque at the
State Capitol. Co-sponsors of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, State
Senator Lois Tochtrop and State Representative Michael Garcia will address
the crowd.
(AOC) was established in June 1982. It is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, cultural
organization, non-partisan and secular, charged with a purpose to create a
cohesive Armenian community and to further the understanding of Armenian
history, culture, and heritage. AOC actively supports issues and concerns of
the Armenian-American community here in Colorado as well as those identified
within the Armenian Diaspora throughout the world. For more information
about Armenians of Colorado go to
<http://www.armenia nsofcolorado.org/> .