Over 300 In-Person Meetings On Capitol Hill As Armenian Americans Come Together To Advocate For Artsakh Armenians And Demand Accountability For Azerbaijan

Garik Boshkezenian

1 year ago

Categories: 2023

Over 300 In-Person Meetings On Capitol Hill As Armenian Americans Come Together To Advocate For Artsakh Armenians And Demand Accountability For Azerbaijan

(l-r) Minority Whip Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-MA) with Massachusetts advocates and Assembly President Carolyn Mugar; Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Assembly President Carolyn Mugar, Assembly Co-Chair Anthony Barsamian, and advocates; Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Congressman Wesley Hunt (R-TX), Armenian Assembly Board Member David Onanian, and Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny; California advocates with Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA) and Assembly Board Member Valina Agbabian

Washington, D.C. – With a second Armenian Genocide underway, Armenian Americans mobilized to advocate for Artsakh Armenians as part of the Armenian Assembly of America's (Assembly) Summit that took place this week in the Nation's Capital. With participants from across the United States, and with over 300 in-person meetings, Congressional offices heard directly from constituents about the need for U.S. leadership to prevent further loss of life, including applying sanctions against Azerbaijan's genocidal regime.

(l-r) Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), Assembly President Carolyn Mugar, Assembly Co-Chair Anthony Barsamian and advocates; Armenian Assembly Board Member Oscar Tatosian and advocates with Congressman Mike Quigley's (D-IL) office; Nerses and Kathryn Aposhian with Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Assembly Western Region Director David Ojakian; Advocates with Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI)

Thanks to the collective efforts of the community, a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging sanctions against Azerbaijan and signed by nearly 100 Members of Congress was sent to the Biden Administration, that stated Azerbaijan's attacks against Armenians "represent a gross violation of human rights and the perpetration of violent conflict, which both pose a direct assault on American values and interests. The perpetrators of these human rights violations must be held to account by the United States."

"While discussing numerous legislative initiatives, the message was clear that the U.S. needs to assert its leadership, end Azerbaijan's brutality, and ensure the security and safety of the Armenian people," stated Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan. "In these dark days for fellow Armenians from Artsakh, we very much appreciate the support of our donors and activists who made the summit possible, and were heartened by all those who joined us on Capitol Hill," Khaloyan continued. "In these dark days for fellow Armenians from Artsakh, we very much appreciate the support of our donors and activists who made the summit possible, and were heartened by all those who joined us on Capitol Hill," Khaloyan continued.

(l-r) Advocates attending the advocacy training and briefing; Assembly Western Region Director David Ojakian and Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan; Advocates in the Capitol Rotunda; Massachusetts advocates on Capitol Hill

The Assembly extends its gratitude to all of the Summit cosponsoring organizations, sponsors, and donors including:

Cosponsoring Organizations

The Armenian American Health Professionals Organization (AAHPO), Armenian Bar Association, Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), Armenian International Women's Association (AIWA), Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), Armenia Tree Project (ATP), Erebuni Armenian School, Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), HALO Trust, Knights of Vartan (KoV), March for Martyrs, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), Paros Foundation, Philos Project, Tekeyan Cultural Association of US and Canada (TCA), Armenian Catholic Eparchy, Armenian Evangelical Union, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Western), and Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church.