ANTI-GENOCIDE ACTIVISTS VISIT HUNDREDS OF CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES DURING ADVOCACY DAYS IN WASHINGTON
armradio.am
19.03.2008 11:46
Over 100 anti-genocide activists from across the nation joined
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and the Genocide
Intervention Network (Gi-Net) for their second annual "End the Cycle
of Genocide" campaign held in Washington, DC.
The three day program, hosted for the second year in a row by the ANCA
and the GI-Net, puts community human rights advocates directly in touch
with dozens of legislators and every single Senate and House office
in support of practical legislative initiatives to stop the genocide
in Darfur and end Turkey’s ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide.
"It was so wonderful to participate with the Genocide Intervention
Network once again this month to advocate on these important human
rights issues," commented ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director,
Karine Birazian. "It was exciting to see new and familiar faces
throughout the region participate. We will continue to work to build
momentum and push genocide legislation forward in Congress."
Birazian, along with activists from the Eastern Region, spent three
days on Capitol Hill meeting with various members of Congress as
well as distributing informational folders on the Armenian Genocide
and the genocide taking place in Darfur, and highlighting legislation
pertaining to these matters. Eastern Region activists including those
from Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia visited close to
300 offices in the House of Representatives and over 60 offices in
the Senate.
Eastern Region activists met with over 50 congressional offices,
including Members of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs,
Intelligence, and Homeland Security many of whom are cosponsors of
H. Res. 106.
Those in attendance took part in a reception on Wednesday evening
during which several representatives spoke out on this important
issue and stressed the need to continue to lobby and push forward for
genocide recognition. At the close of the Advocacy Days, activists
were invited to tour the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in
Washington, DC.