ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA TO HONOR JCRC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NANCY KAUFMAN FOR RAISING AWARENESS OF THE GENOCIDE

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 25 2008

YEREVAN, 25.04.08. DE FACTO. The Armenian Assembly of America is
pleased to announce that it will honor Nancy K. Kaufman and the
Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Boston for their
continued leadership in the affirmation of the Armenian Genocide during
an award reception, May 9, at the Grand Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, MA.

Kaufman and the JCRC are being recognized for their moral leadership
in affirming the Armenian Genocide at a time when others would not
have taken such a bold step.

"This event will be a great opportunity for supporters of both
organizations to come together to celebrate their accomplishments and
the growing relationship between our two communities," said Assembly
Public Affairs Chair Anthony Barsamian.

On April 18, Kaufman, who is Executive Director of the JCRC, spoke
movingly about the shared experiences of the Jewish and Armenian
communities in the last century, during the 93rd commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide at the Massachusetts State House.

"In the history of the world, the 20th century will be remembered as
a time of some good, some real evil, and many challenges, including
tragedy and transformation," Kaufman said. "Two of the most horrendous
events were the genocide of Armenians at the hands of the Turks in
the beginning of the century, and the Holocaust at the hands of the
Nazis during the middle of the century. It is our responsibility,
as the next generation, to tell the story of our ancestors who were
the victims of these atrocities."

"As a way of not letting the Armenian Genocide be forgotten, I would
like to bear witness – to testify, if you will – to that history,"
she added. "It is particularly important for us, as Jews, to speak
out in support of your community’s efforts to fight denial."

She noted that the JCRC had been on record for many years in affirming
the Armenian Genocide and discussed why, almost 100 years after
the atrocities, it is so important for the crimes to be properly
recognized.

"The simple truth is that unless crimes like these are accepted as
reality, the perpetrators [punished]…and fair compensation for the
victims and families [are provided], then we will continue to have
future genocides without any concern by the perpetrators that they
will face prosecution and be brought to justice," Kaufman said.

The annual remembrance event was led by Massachusetts State
Representatives Rachel Kaprielian (D-Watertown) and Peter J. Koutoujian
(D-Waltham) and Senator Steven A. Tolman (D-Boston), in conjunction
with the State House Commemoration Planning Committee.