CA GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS "DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"

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Thursday, April 16, 2009

LOS ANGELES–California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has once again
proclaimed the week of April 19-26 as "Days of Remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide," the Armenian National Committee’s Western Region
offices reported on Thursday.

"The Armenian American community offers its deep gratitude for
Gov. Schwarzenegger’s declaration and commitment to recognizing the
past so that genocides will not occur in the future," said Andrew
Kzirian, the executive director of the Armenian National Committee
Western Region (ANC-WR).

"An important part of our educational efforts to end the cycle of
genocide and raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide and the genocide
taking place in Darfur is to ensure that the horrific crimes of the
past are not repeated, " Kzirian said. "The Governor’s proclamation is
quite timely as it comes days before the eagerly anticipated Armenian
Genocide statement by President Obama."

With President Obama’s home state of Hawaii officially recognizing the
Armenian Genocide just days ago while the President visited Turkey,
the community is confident that the President will be clear in his
message on April 24, Kzirian added

The proclamation reads in part, "Four years ago I signed a bill
that permanently recognized the Days of Remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide. This week, we honor that commitment as we stand with
our Armenian friends and neighbors here and across the world in
remembering and acknowledging the genocide, the families it destroyed
and the history it changed. We do not like to recall such sorrows,
but we must, so that we can learn from history and renew our efforts
to make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

This is the twelfth proclamation issued by the Office of the
Governor of California in the past thirteen years, and supplements
the seventeen proclamations by the California Assembly and Senate
dating back to 1991.

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
promotes awareness of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.

The full text of the proclamation is included below.

****

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROCLAMATION

On the night of April 24, 1915, more than 200 leaders in the Armenian
community, in the city known today as Istanbul, were arrested. Sent
to prison, most were executed, beginning a horrible, systemic killing
and forced relocation of the Armenian people that would last until
1923. During these years, the government of the Ottoman Empire
claimed the lives of 1.5 million Armenians and forced 500,000 more
from their homeland.

Those who escaped death had to flee, and many of them settled right
here in California. They and their descendants have become leaders
in all walks of life and have made extraordinary contributions to
our state. While their presence has been and continues to be a great
blessing to California, it also reminds us of the incredible evils
that brought them far from their ancestral homes.

Four years ago I signed a bill that permanently recognized the Days
of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. This week, we honor that
commitment as we stand with our Armenian friends and neighbors here
and across the world in remembering and acknowledging the genocide,
the families it destroyed and the history it changed. We do not like to
recall such sorrows, but we must, so that we can learn from history and
renew our efforts to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State
of California, do hereby proclaim April 19-26, 2009, as "Days of
Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide."

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the
Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 13th day of
April 2009.