Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
November 30, 2007
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY EXPANDS OUTREACH EFFORTS IN ATLANTA, PHILADELPHIA
Washington, DC – As part of the Armenian Assembly of America’s efforts
to strengthen outreach to communities across the country, Grassroots
Associate Director Taniel Koushakjian gave a briefing at the Armenian
Church of Atlanta’s HyeDoun, and attended an Armenian-American
Veterans’ event in Philadelphia.
Koushakjian presented Atlanta’s growing Armenian community with the
Assembly’s work on behalf of Armenian-Americans over the past 35 years
on November 10th. He provided an update on the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, H. Res. 106, and the developments in Washington
surrounding this issue. Koushakjian urged community members to get
involved in the Assembly’s grassroots arm, ARAMAC, which supports
grassroots activism in all 50 states. The event concluded with a
two-hour question and answer session, in which activists asked about
the various legislative issues pending before Congress.
"I enjoyed meeting with Atlanta’s vibrant Armenian-American
community," said Koushakjian. "We had a very productive exchange of
ideas on the issues facing the community and I look forward to our
continued work together to achieve results in Washington."
The following day, Koushakjian traveled to Philadelphia, PA where he
attended the Philadelphia Armenian-American Veterans’ Association
(PAAVA) Annual Luncheon. The event, sponsored by all five of
Philadelphia’s Armenian churches, featured keynote speaker Major Lucy
Der-Garabedian who is currently serving as U.S. Army Chaplain,
Resource Manager, Installation Chaplian’s office, Fort Hood,
Texas. Earlier this year, the Assembly worked with the PAAVA in
sending a letter to Congress in support of H. Res. 106. In 2006, the
Assembly held a special ceremony honoring Armenian-American Veterans
in conjunction with its National Advocacy Conference in Washington,
DC.
Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Intern Alumnus Paul Vartan Sookiasian, who
is ARAMAC Vice Chair for Pennsylvania, is currently spearheading a
project, together with the PAAVA to raise $15,000 for a Khachkar
(cross-stone) which would mark the grave of the first recorded
Armenian-American Union Navy soldier during the U.S. Civil War in
Philadelphia, Hachadoor Paul Garabedian.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3)
tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2007-136
Photographs are available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following
links:
aaainc/images/PRESS_RELEASES_2007/PR_2007_November /2007-136.jpg
Photo 1: Armenian Assembly Associate Grassroots Director Taniel
Koushakjian with members of the Armenian Church of Atlanta Parish.
ages/PRESS_RELEASES_2007/PR_2007_November/2007-136 b.jpg
Photo 2: Philadelphia Armenian-American Veterans’ Association (PAAVA)
2007 Celebration Committee at the Annual Luncheon in Philadelphia.