ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF VIRGINIA TO BE ACTIVE WITH ARMENIAN CAUSE

DeFacto Agency
May 14 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 14.05.08. DE FACTO. On April 20, 2008, Armenian National
Committee of America, Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) Executive Director,
Karine Birazian, traveled to Richmond, Virginia, where she spoke to
the Armenian community on ANCA objectives and initiatives, as well
as how to become more active with the Armenian Cause.

"The excitement to have the ANCA ER Director come to Richmond was
amazing," commented Melanie Kerneklian, chairperson of the ANC of
Richmond. Kerneklian also served as the former chair of National
Organization of Republican Armenians (NORA) and currently serves
as the vice chair of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) "Hooys"
chapter. A dinner party was held that evening by Dr. & Mrs. Murad
and Melanie Kerneklian to give an opportunity for community members
to have a more in-depth exchange with Birazian. There, Birazian also
gained insight as to genocide education initiatives undertaken by
the Armenian Education Center, a grassroots organization founded to
help teachers in the Commonwealth of Virginia gain access to Armenian
Genocide curricula. The Armenian Genocide is included in the Virginia
Department of Education’s revised Curriculum Framework as the first
major example of genocide in the 20th century and a precursor to the
Jewish Holocaust.

The following day, Birazian visited Thomas Dale High School where
she spoke to a class of students on 20th century genocide and the
ongoing genocide in Darfur.

On Wednesday, April 23rd, nearly 40 Richmond activists, among whom
close to a dozen were young teenagers, traveled to Washington,
DC, and participated in the 93rd Commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide on Capitol Hill. Activists also had an opportunity to meet
with and speak to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA-7) to discuss foreign aid
and genocide recognition. To note, while serving in the Virginia
House of Delegates, Rep. Cantor cosponsored the Armenian Genocide
Resolution. Against tremendous Turkish opposition, the ANCA, coupled
with Rep. Cantor’s leadership, helped pass the resolution. As a
result, Virginia also introduced the Armenian Genocide curriculum
for Virginia schools.