Candlelight Vigil Draws Over 400 to Burbank City Hall

Friday, May 7th, 2010
by Asbarez

Community members commemorate the Armenian Genocide at the steps of
Burbank City Hall

BURBANK, CA-The Armenian National Committee of Burbank (ANC Burbank)
organized its annual candlelight vigil commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide on Tuesday, April 27th. Over 400 people attended the event
which took place on the steps of Burbank City Hall.

`The ANC of Burbank hopes to renew the effort to not only commemorate
the tragic events of this horrific time in our collective history, but
to also reaffirm that in order to truly respect the lives lost we must
acknowledge this truth at the national level,’ noted Armond
Aghakhanian, the chair of the event’s organizing committee. `Our
community welcomes the continued support of the Burbank City Council
in sustaining this fight to uphold the truth.’

The vigil took place following the Burbank City Council session in
chambers where Aghakhanian and Naira Chehras, a senior at Burbank High
School, received a proclamation from City of Burbank Mayor Gary Bric,
acknowledging the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Aghakhanian also thanked Mayor Bric for a letter he wrote to President
Barack Obama highlighting the push for formal US reaffirmation of the
Armenian Genocide.

During the vigil, the crowd was addressed by several community leaders
including Chehras, Zareh Sinanyan (ANC PAC), Michael Kiaman (ANC
Burbank), Shahan Boghigian (Armenian Youth Federation `Varak’ Burbank
Chapter), and Aram Ohanian (ARF Badenagan `Kaytz’ Chapter).

The Armenian National Committee of Burbank advances the social,
economic, cultural, and political rights of the area’s Armenian
American community and promotes increased Armenian American civic
participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.

****

FULL TEXT OF BURBANK MAYOR GARY BRIC’S LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA:

Honorable Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On April 27, 2010, the City of Burbank will recognize the Armenian
Genocide Remembrance, and every year we are reminded that the United
States of America is a champion of espousing human rights around the
world, and as such, bears the responsibility to help ensure America’s
historic leadership and humanitarian values on which our country was
founded, including the lessons learned from the past, are never
forgotten.

This year marks the ninety-fifth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide;
which is an important issue to many of our constituents. Our
legislative representatives including: Congressman Adam Schiff,
Congressman Brad Sherman, Congressman Howard Berman, Senator Barbara
Boxer and Senator Diane Feinstein, all support the formal recognition
of the Armenian Genocide.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Gary R. Bric
Mayor, City of Burbank