PRESS RELEASE
Ryerson University
Armenian Students’ Association
For Immediate Release
May 27, 2009
Contact: Sally Sahaagian – [email protected]
Raffi Sarkissian- [email protected]
RYERSON APOLOGIZES FOR ATAOV EVENT AND REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD
THE TRUTH
Toronto, Ontario; On February 18, 2009, The Department of Sociology at
Ryerson University, and the Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations
organized an evening lecture on campus titled "Elaborations on Turkish
strategies to dealing with issues around Armenian Allegations and beyond".
The lecture was delivered by Professor Turkkaya Ataov, a leading denier of
the Armenian Genocide. The lecture was equivalent to Neo-Nazi propaganda
presented to deny the Jewish Holocaust. Prof. Ataov trivialized the reality
of the Armenian Genocide and presented the usual Turkish Government’s
views.
Ryerson University’s student body was outraged by the fact that such an
event had been cosponsored by a department of their university and raised
concerns through letters and by signing petitions which included names of
approximately 300 Ryerson students.
After several meetings with department heads and administration, Dr. Sheldon
Levy, the president of Ryerson University, in a letter to Sally Sahagian,
the president of the Armenian Students’ Association at Ryerson University,
apologized to the Ryerson community by stating, `On behalf of Ryerson
University, I would like to apologize for the pain and suffering experienced
in particular by the members of the Armenian Community as a result of this
event’ He then assured the student body that the university’s views were in
line with that of the Canadian Government, the International Association of
Genocide Scholars and the hundreds of historians and experts researching the
topic internationally. Dr. Levy stated, `Ryerson University supports Prime
Minster Harper’s statement on behalf of all Canadians that the Armenian
Genocide is a historical fact, unquestionably part of the historical record
with tremendous suffering.’
Ryerson University’s response indicated that although the university is a
space where students can practice their freedom of speech, the university
will not become an accomplice to racism and genocide denial. This form of
hate propaganda has no place in our academic and scholarly circles.
The administration of Ryerson University, through its principled stand, has
proven to remain true to the role of the university as an institution
committed to upholding the truth. The Armenian Students’ Association at
Ryerson University together with all its members and the Armenian Community
at large would like to thank the Ryerson University administration for
identifying genocide denial as a threat to academia and society at large,
consequently taking a principled stand against the crime of genocide.
The official letter issued by Ryerson University president Dr. Sheldon Levy
is available upon request.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
