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Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE +++ PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 21, 2005
Contact: Armen Carapetian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
STATE OF CALIFORNIA COMMEMORATES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— Gov. Schwarzenegger signs Poochigian’s SB 424 into law
— Sen. Jackie Speier delivers SJR 2 to a rally of nearly 2000
SACRAMENTO, CA – This afternoon, California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger invited leaders of the Armenian-American community
in California along with State Senators Jackie Speier and Charles
Poochigian and Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian to his chambers to
commemorate the Armenian Genocide. Armenian National Committee
(ANC)Western Region Chairman Steven Dadaian and Sacramento Chapter
Chairman Hovanes Boghossian were among those at the special
occasion. Prior to visiting the Governor, the ANC organized the
Armenian Genocide 90th Anniversary Commemorative Committee of
California’s day of remembrance in the Golden State’s capital.
The day began with the last leg of the March for Humanity from
the Sacramento Armenian Apostolic Church to the State’s Capitol
building. Over 500 members of the California Armenian American
community joined Senator Jackie Speier and State Assembly Majority
Leader Dario Frommer and walked with the marchers in concluding their
215-mile, 19-day journey that began in Fresno on April 2nd. The
procession was met at the Capitol steps by legislators, including
Sen. Poochigian, and leaders of the California’s Armenian American
community and welcomed into the Senate as it took up SJR 2 – the
resolution that marks April 24, 2005 the California day of remembrance
led by Sen. Speier.
With an overflow crowd of March for Humanity supporters attending the
day’s Senate session, His Eminenece Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
gave the invocation in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
“This week we commemorate the 90th anniversary of this most atrocious
massacre perpetrated by the Turkish Government,” said Archbishop
Mardirossian during his opening prayer. “Bless our Governor, our State
Senators, State Assemblymen, and all those elected officials who are
staunch supporters for truth and justice,” stated the Archbishop.
Sen. Speier, who is Armenian American, gave a heartfelt account of
the Armenian Genocide for the Senate’s record. Many Senators gave
statements in support of Sen. Speier’s resolution, and passed the
resolution unanimously.
Following the Senate’s conclusion of its commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide, the Armenian-American group made up of approximately 30
community leaders, including the clergy, the Armenian Consul General
of Los Angeles, and the March for Humanity, left the floor of the
Senate to be introduced on the floor of the State Assembly for the
consideration of SB 424 -the bill that permanently designates the
week of April 24 California’s week of remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide authored by Sen. Poochigian. After supportive speeches
by Assemblymembers Greg Aghazarian, Dario Frommer, Juan Arambula,
Carol Liu, Jerome Horton, and Jackie Goldberg, the Assembly voted
unanimously 70-0 to pass the Poochigian Bill.
Following the sessions, leaders of California’s legislature joined
the Rally for Humanity on the South Steps of the Capitol. Master of
Ceremonies and ANC-Western Region Chairman Steven Dadaian welcomed
the crowd of almost 2,000, who turned out from communities in the
San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California
to thank California on its principled leadership on the issue of the
Armenian Genocide recognition. Dadaian then introduced legislators
Poochigian, Speier, Scott, Alquist, Simitian, Yee, Frommer, Aghazarian,
Liu, Villines, as well as Controller Steve Westly, who all addressed
the gathering, demanding that the US Congress and the Administration
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide properly and require that Turkey
atone for this monumental crime against humanity.
“We call on Turkey to stop its shameful campaign of denial of the
Armenian Genocide, and we are proud that we are joined unanimously by
the entire government of the State of California,” expressed Dadaian.
After the signing ceremony with the Governor, Hovanes Boghossian stated
“In all my years in Sacramento I have never seen so many Armenians
so motivated as they were today.”
The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a broad
range of issues.
Editor’s note: Photo available upon request. Photo caption: from left
to right, Sen. Poochigian, Archbishops Mardirossian and Derderian,
Sen. Speier, and Assemblyman Aghazarian. Gov. Schwarzenegger in
foreground.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress