Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
ancawr@anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
ANCA-WR travels to Idaho
Boise, Idaho – Armenian Americans in Boise, Idaho welcomed Andrew Kzirian,
ANCA-WR Executive Director to their state this week. Kzirian traveled to
Boise to meet with fellow Armenian Americans and joined them in a meeting
with Wayne Hoffman, Communications Director for Congressman William Sali, to
discuss issues of concern to the community in Idaho. The ANCA-WR Executive
Director participated in the meeting with Mark Abajian of Boise and John
Kazian of Kuna, Idaho at Sali’s Boise district office.
"This meeting provided us with an opportunity to discuss the history of the
Armenian American community in Idaho," stated Abajian. "We were pleased to
welcome the ANCA-WR’s support and are confident that Mr. Hoffman will inform
Congressman Sali of the importance of passing this important piece of human
rights legislation," he added.
On the evening of June 12th the Idaho Armenian American community gathered
for a dialogue with the ANCA-WR Executive Director to learn more about
developments on Armenian issues occurring in Washington, DC. Kzirian
presented an update on the status of the Armenian Genocide resolution,
efforts to bring Millennium Challenge Account funds to Armenia to improve
roads and water infrastructure and the work of the California-Armenia Trade
Office to boost economic growth between Armenia and the State of California.
The community was also briefed on the ANCA’s efforts to stop the ongoing
genocide in Darfur.
Idaho became the 33rd U.S. state to recognize the Armenian Genocide in 2004,
when Republican Governor Dirk Kempthorne, then Chairman of the National
Governors Association, issued a proclamation citing April 24th "Idaho Day of
Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. The proclamation began
by noting that "one and one-half-million Christian Armenian men, women, and
children were the victims of a brutal genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman
Turkish Government. The gubernatorial proclamation in 2004 closely followed
a resolution unanimously adopted by the Senate of the Associated Students of
Boise State University (ASBSU) recognizing the Armenian Genocide and
condemning efforts to rewrite history. Senate Resolution 13 noted that the
genocide "has resulted in the elimination of the Armenian people from their
historic homeland of over 3000 years through the criminal loss of property
and life." The resolution "commemorates the Armenian Genocide and condemns
those attempts made by governments as well as other entities, both public
and private, to distort the historical reality and legal relevance of the
Armenian Genocide to the descendants of its survivors and humanity as a
whole."
"The Armenians of Idaho are strong and confident in their love for the Gem
State and their passion for advancing issues they care about with their
local Members of Congress," Kzirian commented. "Mark and John are proud
Americans, proud Idahoans, and proud of their Armenian heritage and that
came through in our meeting with Congressman Sali’s aide," Kzirian added.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) 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.