APRIL 19-26, 2009, AS DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE. PROCLAMATION BY GOVERNOR OF STATE OF CALIFORNIA

States News Service
April 19, 2009 Sunday

The following information was released by the office of the Governor
of California:

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 ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Governor of California ATTEST:
DEBRA BOWEN Secretary of State