Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
ancwr@anca.org

PRESS RELEASE

January 10, 2008
Contact: Haig Hovsepian

Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANC-WR to Help Educate Thousands on Armenian Heritage Cruise

— Many Cruise Participants Hail from the State of California and Western US

Los Angeles, CA – The Armenian National Committee – Western Region
(ANC-WR) is pleased to report that its Executive Director Antranig
Kzirian will join with the ANC-ER Executive Director Karine Birazian
and ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian on the 11th
Annual Armenian Heritage Cruise to provide educational briefings
during the week of January 14, 2008. Kzirian, Birazian and
Karakashian will provide briefings to thousands of Armenian Americans
set to cruise the high seas later this month.

"It is an honor to join ANCA leaders like Raffi and Karine on the
Armenian Heritage Cruise," stated Kzirian. "I look forward to working
with my counterparts in the Eastern Region and the National Office in
Washington, DC to educate Armenian Americans on the important
initiatives the ANCA has and will continue to undertake," he added.

Kzirian will be participating in a "Cruise out of Congress" rally set
to take place in Boca Raton, Florida on January 12th that will focus
media attention on genocide denier Congressman Robert Wexler
(D-FL-19). On Monday, January 14th he will join Birazian and
Karakashian in providing an executive briefing on all facets of the
ANCA’s work on national, regional and local levels. On Tuesday,
January 15th the ANC staffers will visit with Puerto Rico Territory
Senator Juan Hernandez Mayoral to raise awareness of community
activities. In October of 2007 Hernandez publicly supported the
Armenian Genocide resolution (H. Res. 106) and strongly criticized
Representative Fortuno (R-PR-AL) for his flip-flop on the resolution.
Finally, on January 16th the group will visit the office of
Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen (D-VI-AL) in the U.S. Virgin
Islands. All activities will focus closely on raising awareness on
issues of concern to Armenian Americans.

In addition to advancing the Armenian Cause on the cruise, Kzirian
(who plays the oud and guitar) will be performing with a traditional
ensemble of Armenian American folk musicians to provide entertainment
to attendees.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and
most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in
the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States
and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances
the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.