[Congressional Record: July 19, 2004 (Extensions)]
[Page E1413-E1414]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr19jy04-20]
CELEBRATING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
______
HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY
of massachusetts
in the house of representatives
Monday, July 19, 2004
Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a treasured
institution in the Armenian-American community and in my Congressional
District, the “Armenian Weekly Newspaper” which is celebrating its
70th Anniversary of publication this year.
Since 1934, the English-language Armenian Weekly has been published
by the Hairenik Association of Watertown, Massachusetts, located in my
district. The Association also publishes the Armenian Weekly’s parent
publication, “The Hairenik,” which is the longest running Armenian-
language newspaper in the world.
Mr. Speaker, this past April we gathered to commemorate the Armenian
Genocide, one of the darkest chapters of World War I, and what is
sometimes called the “Forgotten Genocide.” The Armenian Weekly plays
an invaluable role in helping all of us to remember that tragic period,
but more importantly, to celebrate the lives of the survivors and their
wonderful and enduring culture.
In September of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson spoke of his vision of
a future Armenia. He said, “Armenia is to be redeemed . . . So that at
last this great people, struggling through night after night of terror,
knowing not when they may come out into a time when they can enjoy
their rights as free people that they never dreamed they would be able
to exercise.” Since the rebirth of the Armenian national following the
collapse of the former Soviet Union, the Armenian Weekly has run
numerous stories on issues and events affecting the politics and
economy of the Republic of Armenia, and the efforts of the Armenian-
American community to support its struggle to survive and prosper.
Mr. Speaker, two of our most cherished freedoms in the United States
are freedom of speech and freedom of the press. For seventy years now,
Armenian-Americans have been
[[Page E1414]]
celebrating those freedoms through the Armenian Weekly Newspaper. In
addition to its extensive coverage of news events of interest to the
Armenian-American community, over the years, the paper has printed
numerous short stories, essays and poems. For example, the stories that
initially brought noted Armenian-American writer and playwright William
Saroyan to national attention were first published in the Armenian
Weekly.
I congratulate Editor Jason Sohigian and everyone associated with
this remarkable publication and I wish the Armenian Weekly Newspaper
many more years of service and success.