Turnout at Burbank AYF Genocide-Commemoration Event is more than 250
people on the steps of Burbank City Hall

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Youth Federation
104 N. Belmont St.
#206 Glendale, CA 91206
Contact: Ovsana Khodabakhsh
Tel: (818) 621-0245

April 26, 2008

On Tuesday, April 22nd, the Burbank Armenian Youth Federation (AYF)
"Varak"

Chapter, organized two successful events in and around Burbank City Hall.

First, the Burbank AYF Chairman Shunt Jarchafjian accepted a
proclamation, during a televised Burbank City Council Meeting, from
Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos. The proclamation honored the victims of the
Armenian Genocide.

Jarchafjian was joined by Vahe Shahinian of the Burbank Armenian
National Committee and Burbank AYF member Raffi Proodian, who told an
emotional story to the council about how his great-grandfather survived
the genocide that took the lives of the rest of his family.

Second, just outside the doors of Burbank City Hall, more than 250
Armenian-Americans gathered for an 8 o’clock candlelight vigil, which
also included a poetry reading by Burbank AYF member Nareh Aboolian and
the playing of the Duduk by Armen Kvryan.

In a never-before-seen move by the Burbank City Council, the council
members took a 15-minute break from their 4-hour council meeting to join
their Armenian-American constituents at the candlelight vigil.

The gesture did not go unnoticed and was met with kudos from organizers.

Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, who serves in the California’s State
Legislature, representing Glendale and Burbank, was on hand, to offer
his comments at the event.

"Use this day as an opportunity to recommit yourself to standing up for
what you know is the truth about 1915," Krekorian said.

Other speakers included Hovan Tashjian of the Armenian Cultural
Foundation, Garen Yeghparian of the Burbank Armenian National Committee,
and Caspar Jivalagian of the Armenian Youth Federation.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I stand before you today as living proof that the
plans and dreams of the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide have
failed,"

Jivalagian said in his impassioned comments.

The evening was made particularly special by the singing of the American
and Armenian national anthems by Sherry Aghakhanian and the posting of
the flags of the United States, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh by the
Homenetmen scouts from the Burbank "Sipan" Chapter.

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