Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
April 16, 2009
Contact: Andrew Kzirian
Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaims "Days of Remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide"
Los Angeles, CA – Today, April 16, 2009, the ANC-WR welcomed a
proclamation from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declaring
the week of April 19-26, 2009 as `Days of Remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide.’
`The Armenian American community offers its deep gratitude for Gov.
Schwarzenegger’s declaration and commitment to recognizing the past so
that genocides will not occur in the future,’ said Armenian National
Committee – Western Region (ANC-WR) Executive Director Andrew Kzirian.
"An important part of our educational efforts to end the cycle of
genocide and raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide and the genocide
taking place in Darfur is to ensure that the horrific crimes of the
past are not repeated," remarked Kzirian. `The Governor’s
proclamation is quite timely as it comes days before the eagerly
anticipated Armenian Genocide statement by President Obama. With
President Obama’s home state of Hawaii officially recognizing the
Armenian Genocide just days ago while the President visited Turkey,
the community is confident that the President will be clear in his
message on April 24.’ he added.
The proclamation reads in part, `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.’
This is the twelfth proclamation issued by the Office of the Governor
of California in the past thirteen years, and supplements the
seventeen proclamations by the California Assembly and Senate dating
back to 1991.
The full text of the proclamation is included below.
The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and
most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in
the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States
and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR promotes
awareness of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.
###
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PROCLAMATION
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