Armenian
National Committee of Canada
Comité
National Arménien du Canada
Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622
E-mail/Courriel:[email protected]
www.anccanada.org
-PRESS RELEASE-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sevag Belian (613) 235-2622
ANCC Statement on Remembrance Day
OTTAWA.-
The ultimate sacrifice, of one’s life, in defense of a nation, of peace, of
freedom, is a sacrifice we must always remember and honour.
Armenians
who survived the Genocide and deportations from their ancestral lands early in
the 20th century spread around the world in search of freedom and dignity.
The sons and daughters of those who landed in Canada have proudly served Canada
in every foreign mission dating from the First World War through Afghanistan
and the present day.
Learning
from the lessons of our own history, Armenian Canadians also have a moral
obligation to remember and to pay tribute to the many unknown victims of war,
of war crimes and of crimes against humanity. They, too, are amongst those
brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for our wellbeing today.
On
behalf of the Armenian-Canadian community, The Armenian National Committee of
Canada would like to thank the Canadian Government and its armed forces for the
security and safety they bring to our community and our country from coast to
coast. We remember and are grateful for the ultimate sacrifices of all those
who have fallen on and off the battlefields to protect our welfare.
This
year, on the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we also
remember and thank the Canadian civilians and missionaries who supported and
saved Armenian lives in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, and helped many
of them build new lives in Canada.
Remembering
the Armenian-Canadian soldiers of the World Wars
Today,
we mark Remembrance Day and the end of the hostilities of the First World War.
It was under the cover of World War I that the Armenian Genocide was undertaken
in 1915. It was in the midst of the fighting that the Republic of Armenia
declared its independence in 1918. It was the consequent peace process that
vested the United States as arbitrator for the new republic’s border with
Turkey, which was decided by President Woodrow Wilson.
Often
overlooked, however, is the contribution that Armenian-Canadians played in the
Canadian Armed Forces during both the first and second world wars. Today, as we
honour all those who put their life on the line to defend our freedom, let us
also remember:
Andrew
Artinian, Charles Artinian, Dikran Artinian, Herman Aram Asadourian, George
Asadourian, Reggie Avedisian, Andrew Antranig Chichakian, Samuel Chichakian,
Richard Essraelian, Sarkis Halagian, Richard Hoogasian, George Kalagian,
Nigoghos Kalagian, Susan Kalagian, Shoghomon Koloian, Edward Krekorian, Arthur
Ashod Kuderian, John Magarian, Levon Magarian, Kirk Matosian, Michael Minoian,
Avak Moligian, Arthur Avedis Mooradian, John Moukperian, George Sahakian, Paul
Solomonian, Hagop Torosian, Harry Torosian, Hygus Torosian, and William
Zampigian.
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The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Armenian-Canadian
grassroots human rights organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-Canadian
community on a broad range of issues and works to eliminate abuses of human
rights throughout Canada and the world.