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NYT: George Avakian, Record Producer and Talent Scout, Dies at 98

The New York Times
Obituaries

George Avakian, Record Producer and Talent Scout, Dies at 98

From left, Louis Armstrong, the songwriter W.C. Handy and George
Avakian in the 1950s. Mr. Avakian helped popularize the long-playing
record and organized the first jazz reissue series, preserving the
recorded legacies of Armstrong and other pioneers.CreditColumbia
Records

By Peter Keepnews
Nov. 22, 2017

George Avakian, a record producer and talent scout who played a key
role in the early careers of Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Keith Jarrett
and Bob Newhart, among many others, died on Wednesday at his home on
the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was 98.

His death was confirmed by his daughter Anahid Avakian Gregg.

Over the course of a career that began when he was in college,
Mr. Avakian (pronounced a-VOCK-ee-an) was involved in virtually every
facet of the music industry. He helped popularize the long-playing
record; organized the first jazz reissue series, preserving the
recorded legacies of Louis Armstrong and other pioneers; and
introduced dith Piaf to American audiences.

He made his most lasting mark as a jazz producer with Columbia Records
in the 1950s. He brought Brubeck and Davis to the label, helping to
transform them from artists with a loyal but limited audience to
international celebrities. He signed Johnny Mathis, then an unknown
jazz singer, and oversaw his emergence as a chart-topping pop star. He
persuaded Louis Armstrong to record the German theater song "Mack the
Knife," an unlikely vehicle that became one of his biggest hits. And
he supervised the recording of Duke Ellington's performance at the
1956 Newport Jazz Festival, which revitalized Ellington's career.

George Mesrop Avakian was born on March 15, 1919, in Armavir, Russia,
to Armenian parents, Mesrop and Manoushak Avakian. His family moved to
the United States shortly after he was born. His younger brother,
Aram, became a respected film editor and director.

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An avid jazz fan and record collector, George was a sophomore at Yale
and already a published jazz critic when he persuaded Decca Records to
let him record the guitarist Eddie Condon and other musicians who had
been fixtures of the Chicago scene a decade earlier. Those sessions,
in 1939, produced "Chicago Jazz," a package of six 78
r.p.m. recordings that is widely regarded as the first jazz album.

"When I saw how much alcohol Eddie Condon and his guys drank and
abused their health," Mr. Avakian told Down Beat magazine in 2000, "I
was very alarmed and became convinced they couldn't possibly live much
longer. So I persuaded Jack Kapp at Decca to let me produce a series
of reunions to document this music before it was too late.

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"They were only in their mid-30s. But I was 20. What did I know about
drinking?"

Columbia hired Mr. Avakian in 1940 to assemble and annotate a
comprehensive jazz reissue series, something no record company had
undertaken before. Working one day a week for $25, he compiled
anthologies of the work of Armstrong, Ellington, Bessie Smith and
others, establishing a template that the industry continued to follow
into the CD era.

In 1946, after five years in the Army, Mr. Avakian became a full-time
member of Columbia's production staff.

While overseeing the company's jazz operations, he wore many other
hats as well. He was in charge of pop albums and served as a one-man
international department, releasing Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" and other
important European records in the United States.

He also played a significant role in establishing the
33#-r.p.m. long-playing record as the industry standard, supervising
production of the first pop LPs shortly after the format was
introduced in 1948.
Image
George Avakian in 2009.CreditFrederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Mr. Avakian later worked briefly for the World Pacific label before
joining the Warner Bros. movie studio's newly formed record
subsidiary, where he was in charge of artists and repertoire from 1959
to 1962.

With a mandate to get Warner Bros. Records on solid financial ground
by delivering hits, he temporarily shifted his focus from jazz. He
brought the Everly Brothers to the label and signed a young humorist
named Bob Newhart, who had been working as an accountant in Chicago
and moonlighting as a radio performer but had never performed for a
live audience.

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Mr. Newhart's first album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,"
became one of the best-selling comedy records of all time.

In 1962, Mr. Avakian joined RCA Victor Records, where he was in charge
of pop production but also had the opportunity to renew his
involvement in jazz, producing critically acclaimed albums by Sonny
Rollins, Paul Desmond and others.

Tiring of the day-to-day grind of the record business, Mr. Avakian
became a freelance manager and producer in the mid-60s. His first
client of note was Charles Lloyd, a saxophonist and flutist whose
freewheeling style had attracted a young audience and who became one
of the first jazz musicians to perform at the Fillmore Auditorium in
San Francisco and other rock venues.

The pianist in Mr. Lloyd's quartet was Keith Jarrett, and Mr. Avakian
worked with him as well, helping to lay the groundwork for his
breakthrough as one of the most popular jazz musicians of the 1970s.

By the late '90s Mr. Avakian had come full circle: He returned to
Columbia Records to supervise a series of jazz reissues. This time the
medium was CD rather than vinyl. And this time many of the recordings
being reissued had originally been produced by Mr. Avakian himself.

Mr. Avakian was married for 68 years to the violinist Anahid Ajemian,
a founding member of the Composers String Quartet. She died in
2016. Aram Avakian died at 60 in 1987.

In addition to Ms. Gregg, Mr. Avakian is survived by another daughter,
Maro Avakian; a son, Greg; and two grandchildren.

In 2014, Mr. Avakian and Ms. Ajemian donated their archives, including
unreleased recordings by Armstrong and Ellington, to the New York
Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

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Among the many honors Mr. Avakian received were a Trustees Award for
lifetime achievement from the National Academy of Recording Arts and
Sciences in 2009 and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters
award for advocacy in 2010.

Receiving the N.E.A. award, he said at the time, was "a culminating
honor that confirms my long-held belief: Live long enough, stay out of
jail, and you'll never know what might happen."

Daniel E. Slotnik contributed reporting.
A version of this article appears in print on November 23, 2017, on
Page A24 of the New York edition with the headline: George Avakian,
Producer of Jazz Greats, Dies at 98. Order Reprints | Today's Paper |
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If one of the sides has “either everything or nothing” position, there will be nothing in negotiations – Armenia foreign ministry

Categories
Artsakh
Politics
Region

There will be no progress in the negotiations for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict as long as one of the sides acts with “either everything or nothing” principle, Armenian deputy foreign minister Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters after today’s Cabinet meeting, adding that in order to record progress in the negotiations there must be trust between the sides.

It was repeatedly stated that in order to move forward the negotiations, there must be trust between the sides, and the trust includes the implementation of actions which were talked about in Vienna and St. Petersburg. If one of the sides has the following stance – either everything or nothing, than, of course, in the negotiations there will be nothing. Or, if the question is put in the following way – either everything or war, of course, there cannot be any progress. As long as Baku doesn’t change its position, there will be no progress in the negotiations”, Shavarsh Kocharyan said, adding that the status quo is maintained as a result of Azerbaijan’s actions.

Sports: Armenia beat Cyprus 3-2 in friendly

Xinhua, China
Nov 13 2017
Armenia beat Cyprus 3-2 in friendly

Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-14 01:03:44|Editor: huaxia
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YEREVAN, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — Armenia beat Cyprus 3-2 in a friendly match at the Vazgen Sargsyan Stadium here on Monday.

Armenia's Haik Ishkhanyan scored the opener in the 17th minute for his first goal for the national squad in his only second appearance for Armenia.

Varazadat Haroyan doubled the score with a spectacular header in the 38th minute before the Cypriots pulled one back on Konstantinos Laifis in the 50th minute.

Manchester United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored a flawless penalty after Armenia's Tigran Barseghyan was fouled in the 63rd minute to make it 3-1.

Cyprus managed to close it again but were not good enough to stop Armenia from nailing down another win after crushing Belarus 4-1 last Thursday. Enditem

Armenia Beats Belarus 4-1 in Friendly Match

A scene from the Nov. 9 Armenia-Belarus friendly soccer match (Photolure)

YEREVAN—Armenia’s national soccer team on Thursday beat Belarus 4 to 1 in a friendly match held at Vazgen Sargsyan Stadium.

Aras Ozbiliz opened the score in the 41st minute before Henirkh Mkhitaryan made it 2-0 four minutes later.

Armenia’s Rumyan Hovsepyan and Harutyun Vardanyan added two more goals in the second half, in the 5th and 84th minutes respectively.

Anton Saroka scored the only goal for his team form a penalty kick in the 58th minute.

Eduard Sharmazanov: As we are obedient to God, women are obedient to God and their men (video)

In the opinion of the NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov there are controversial points in the draft law on the prevention of domestic violence. “The law is problematic in this regard, in particular, there is no certainty about what economic or psychological violence is, whether shelters are needed if there are more people there, who takes care of those expenses, if there are problems with the parent’s authority, etc.”

Eduard Sharmazanov reminded of Serzh Sargsyan’s statement in 2016, that the cornerstones of our society are a traditional families, “and those points that create a problem for the family’s value system should be reviewed. A traditional family does not include violence, there is no normal man who would support violence. It should be explained whether there is a social need for this law. It is another thing if its purpose is to create healthy families.”

The NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov explained his idea: “Having traditional Armenian families does not mean wearing traditional costume, but having families where women and men have their own roles.” And then he quotes a Biblical idea: “As we are obedient to God, women are obedient to God and their men. That is the Biblical law, one can accept, another cannot.”

Details are available in the video

Book: Renowned Jewish historian to present his Armenian Genocide book in France

News.am, Armenia
Oct 28 2017
Renowned Jewish historian to present his Armenian Genocide book in France Renowned Jewish historian to present his Armenian Genocide book in France

10:19, 28.10.2017

Well-known Israeli historian and humanist Yair Auron will speak at the National Center for Armenian Remembrance, in Décines-Charpieu commune of Lyon, France, informed the official website of this center.

Auron will deliver remarks on the occasion of the French-language publication of his book, entitled Israel and the Armenian Genocide.

This work complements his previous book, entitled The Banality of Indifference and Denial, and analyzes the attitude over the last 100 years by Zionism and, subsequently, by Israel toward Armenian Genocide.

Sports: Gegard Mousasi: from exodus in Iran to a life as one of the world’s great road warriors

telegraph.co.uk
Thursday 6:44 PM GMT
Gegard Mousasi: from exodus in Iran to a life as one of the world's great road warriors
 
 By Gareth A Davies
 
 
A fighting man. Gegard Mousasi's face is marked with scars, many of them small, and healed, like the pitted landscape of this road warrior's life. The 32-year-old, fighting for the 51st time and headlining on his Bellator MMA debut against tough Russian Alexander Schlemenko on Friday's card here at the Mohegan Sun on a Native Indian reservation in Connecticut, has plied his trade across the world from Asia, through Europe, to the USA.      
 
Yet his life story is one of Exodus, upheaval, and the long struggle to prove himself. With all that, Mousasi remains one of the quiet men of mixed martial arts, in spite of a history that resonates with turmoil once the lines open up and you read between them.
 
Born in Iran into an Armenian community, at the height of the Iran-Iraq war – in which half a million Iraqi and Iranian soldiers, with estimates of a similar number of civilians, are believed to have died – Gegard's formative years were inextricably linked to conflict.
 
The first Persian Gulf War has been compared to World War I with large-scale trench warfare. It was attritional, with manned machine-gun posts, bayonet charges, and waves of attacks across a no-man's land, and extensive use of chemical weapons.
 
This was the backdrop to the early years of the life of Geghard Movsesian, the youngest child of three, born to Gakik and Lucik Movsesian.  
 
Mousasi's family – parents, brother Gewik and sister Angineh – tripped over the border a few years after the Iran-Iraq war and headed to Holland. Gegard was 8 years old. And impressionable. But it was not a straightforward journey, as the family of five endured eighteen months in a refugee camp there.
 
Mousasi revealed his early years, unaware of the troubles around him. A teary child of 8 saw his blissful life, at least in his eyes, of "playing outside on dusty streets all day in Tehran", was over. Instead, a new world, with many other refugees, all seeking solace in the orange light and new hope of The Netherlands.  
 
The early experiences, whether he knew it or not, created a tough young man who had an inner steel and fearlessness. And a need to prove himself. "My mum and dad were born in Iran. There's a small community of Armenians there, but slowly everyone is leaving. I think there were 200,000 of us there at one time, and it's fallen to around 50,000 now," explains Mousasi softly, accentuating each syllable clearly, his hands clasped together.  There is much reflection in this man.
 
"These days, there are a lot of people who have difficulties getting out of the country so you have to go illegal, but it's not the same as it used to be."  Prior to the Iran Revolution in 1979, it was once Persia, an opulent, glamorous Kingdom. Armenia is on Iran's northern border.
 
"It was once a glamorous place. If you'd seen the King and Queen, you'd have thought it was France. It was such an elegant place."  
 
"My parents had a good life there. They used to live in a village and later they came to Tehran. My dad was a mechanic and my mother was a housewife, who looked after the children."
 
"Iranian people are very hospitable, very family-oriented and besides that they have a very beautiful country. They have mountains, desert, sea [it borders both the Caspian Sea and Indian Ocean] so you have everything. There are four seasons in Iran, so you can go winter skiing, you can go in summer to the beach… it's not a real tourism place, but it's a nice country if you have family and friends to visit there." Mousasi has been back a few times – but only, he explains, "to visit family".  His recollections of Tehran were "a lot of playing in the streets, being at school, football. Back then, you would play a lot outside…"
 
It was a life-changer in Holland. He began by dreaming of being a boxing world champion, watching Oscar De La Hoya, and the heavyweight careers of Mike Tyson, and then Lennox Lewis. He tested himself in an array of combat sports, and found solace. Judo was his first sport. Then he took up boxing.
 
By the age of 16, he was a national amateur champion in his adopted country. Indeed, in 2011, he had revealed that he had contemplated trying to qualify for the London Olympics as a Dutch representative. It never came about. As a teenager, he was also drawn to kickboxing, and then, he walked into an MMA gym. Bingo.
 
Twelve years later, his resume includes victories over Hector Lombard in a Pride Welterweight Grand Prix, success in Dream at middleweight with wins against Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef and Jacare Souza. Then, a move to light-heavyweight, and eventually heavyweight. In Dream's Open Weight Grand Prix, Mousasi submitted Mark Hunt in the opening round. He has even sparred with former Pride heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko in an exhibition match – though he was defeated by an armbar. He defeated Renato Sobral via KO in the first minute of the first round to become the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, brought to America to fight for the first time by Bellator's current CEO Scott Coker.
 
It is some resume. And some journey. And after four years in the UFC, fighting the leading middleweights, it was time for a change. He was simply not getting the middleweight title fight he craved. He felt he had proved himself.  But talk to anyone who has worked with Mouasi. He is a technician. He makes very few mistakes.
 
He favours the stand-up; but he's comfortable anywhere. Perhaps he learnt not to make mistakes, unconsciously, in his surroundings as a child. It helped in Holland, which he recalls, was very hard on him, at first. "Yeah, because I was missing my home, my friends…I think it took me six months to a year until I was settled, and of course, we came to Holland where all the refugees go. You had camps for that."
 
"We'd had a normal life in Iran, then you move there and suddenly you were five people in a room, sharing with another family. There were refugees from so many other countries. Eventually we got our house and it wasn't that bad. We were lucky. It took a year and a half. A lot of people stayed there in refugee status for 5 years. You can't get your life started when you are in that situation."
 
"It takes the time off your life. I know some people who took 8 years to get the right to stay in Holland. So for 8 years, they weren't allowed to do anything, go for a job. That's one thing that's bad about immigration. Once you got there, the children would always go to Dutch school, medical care was good, but it's the change you have from having everything in your own country and then you start from zero, and you have to wait."
 
"We didn't get the Visa for staying for 5 years so it took a long time before you could go to work. Then there was the language barrier. It's very difficult. I have one friend whose dad was a surgeon, another who was a high level engineer. But once they come to Holland they were nothing. People want to work but from being respected in your job in your country, you have to start out with nothing. It's not impossible, of course, but it can be very difficult." But looking back, Mousasi now feels lucky.
 
"My dad would take me to judo a few times a week. I got all these things that I was able to do once we were set up in Holland. Everything was taken care of. I think Holland is a country that takes care of their people – one of the best countries in the world."
 
So what drove him ? "I think it had more to do with poverty than a difficult lifestyle. We were not rich. I didn't have money – at least compared to my friends, I didn't."
 
"It was a combination of not wanting to struggle for money, but also that I wanted to be a tough guy, to be respected, too."  The young Gegard had athletic prowess, so he decided to exploit it. "I had talent in judo, I believe. Every time the teacher would show something in class, I would be his favourite student to show it." He learnt quickly. "I think with fighting you have to have a desire to achieve something. You never see a rich kid get to the top of any combat sport because they don't have the drive. All the great boxers come from the ghetto. They all had nothing. They have the desire, the hunger but the rich kid is not going to get punched in the face. Why would they ?"  
 
"I wanted to be a boxer but I knew it wouldn't be possible. It was difficult especially in Holland. But MMA at that moment was doing well in Holland and I liked the fighting styles, so I thought I'm going to do that – it's tougher. You want to be the best and I thought I want to be the best in fighting. Once I'd started, I realised it's better than boxing."
 
"I remember I was doing boxing, and I lost a fight. I was heartbroken. I thought Mike Tyson didn't lose, so I shouldn't lose either. It was my first loss. But then I started kickboxing, and soon afterwards saw MMA. So two or three weeks later I took a fight without really knowing the ground game. I was 17/18 then. I just took every fight that I could at the time whether it was kickboxing or MMA. It just clicked."
 
By now, Gegard had made up his mind that he would become a professional fighter. It didn't go down too well at home. "My mother didn't like watching the fights but I would always do well so it wasn't that bad. At that time I wasn't at a high level, it wasn't on TV, so they didn't see anything. And back then, I never got home injured or with a black eye or whatever, so it wasn't that bad."
 
As the years have passed, and success came, his parents have changed towards his career. He has also invested wisely. "I have some properties," he explains. "But don't expect me to run a gym, it's too much of a headache, though my brother may do that." "I've got my home but I've also bought properties which I rent so I have some income out of that."
 
"Yeah no just properties, any business that I feel like it's worth to invest so far I haven't seen anything to go ok I'm going to invest in that.  My dad is proud but my mother still, she doesn't like to watch the fight. The fight week is hard for her. That week she has a lot of stress."
 
"I always call them after my fights, but normally after the fight my friend already called my mother to tell the result."
 
Mousasi's aspirations are like every other fighter in mixed martial arts today: title ownership.  "Every fight is difficult so I have to be 100% for every fight. It's all about the small details and preparation, the coaching and the game plan. This is the highest league. You can't just make your opponent tired with own conditioning. Everyone is in shape, everyone is ready, everyone is well rounded, everyone understands what is on the line. So every fight is difficult. That's why every fight has to be seen as a championship bout."
 
Now, his aspirations are to win the Bellator middleweight crown, and then take on all-comers. "I feel like Bellator is pushing me and I feel obligated to deliver. Of course there is pressure for me. I've put the hard work in in the gym. I just have to make weight and it will be a good result."
 
Shlemenko is a tough cookie. And Mousasi knows it. But he is confident. Very confident. "I've dealt with that when I fought Uriah Hall. I know what's coming. I shouldn't be too aggressive. I should be smart. I have the reach advantage, physically I'm the bigger guy. Ground, wrestling, technically I'm better. Everything is on my side. I just have to get the job done."
 
"I feel I should be able to finish Shlemenko and be dominant. Also, he brings the fight. He comes to fight. I've never seen him in a boring fight. I'm not worried about a boring fight because he's going to make the fight."
 
There are many options in Bellator – Mo Lawal, Ryan Bader, even Rory McDonald – but for now, reigning at 185lbs is his goal. "Middleweight is my division. I'm at my best at middleweight. If I go to light heavyweight I want there to be something on the line like a belt. Then I'd do that for sure. But there is also Mo Lawal. There would be a huge doctor's cheque for him if we fight."
 
As for the middleweight title, there is already a defence lined up. "Alessio Sakara is fighting Rafael Carvalho (the champion) in December, so I have to wait and see who is champion. I trained with Alessio before in Holland. I know what I'm expecting at least. I've only seen Carvalho fighting Manhoef, so I don't know him that well. He has a good record."
 
"Rory MacDonald might want to come up but he's a welterweight. He's going to give up a size advantage. First I have to beat Shlemenko. He's a good competitor. I trained with Douglas Lima for a week in Holland and there's a size difference. Douglas Lima is tough. Let him first pass him and then we'll see. But there's a size difference. That I can tell for sure."
 
So to Friday night. "I hope to finish Schlemenko. I don't see him being dangerous. But it's a fight. You can get caught with a punch or a kick. I'm sharp, I'm in shape, I know what he's doing, I'm prepared. I should finish him in two rounds." Confident, and happy. A good place for Mousasi right now. "Bellator is open-minded. They talk to the fighters and see what it is they like. I have freedom. It's easy for me to say I want to go up to light-heavyweight, fight the best. That's what I want." And every day, as Gegard Mousasi has known from the start of his life, is a fight for survival. Friday is simply the next test.
 

Over 1,000 Gather to Celebrate a Year of ANCA-WR Accomplishments

LOS ANGELES—Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region hosted a capacity crowd of its annual gala banquet held on Sunday, October 8 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. More than 1,000 supporters, activists, and generous donors of the ANCA-WR from throughout the country were joined by dozens of prominent Members of Congress, state, and local legislators and officials.

Community leaders celebrated ANCA-WR’s accomplishments and honored Congressman David Valadao, California State Senator Anthony Portantino, film director Terry George, Turkish Parliament Member Garo Paylan, and Documentarian Bared Maronian. A special recognition and presentation was also made to Chris Cornell, who wrote and performed the theme song for “The Promise.”

Held at the iconic Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the event began at 4:30pm with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, and a VIP reception with major donors and elected officials. A three-course dinner followed at 6pm with a powerful program and presentation of awards kicked off by the national anthems performed by Ivana Krikorian.

Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, conducted the invocation for the evening.

Following the prayer, 2017 ANCA-WR Gala Committee Co-Chairs Jacklin Boyadjian, J.D. and Elizabeth Gourjian, welcomed guests and thanked all those that made the inspiring evening possible. Gourjian remarked,  “The work of the ANCA is constant and immeasurable. Through extremely efficient operations, and competent, knowledgeable and dedicated activists and volunteers, great milestones have been achieved.  I’m humbled and privileged to represent an organization, which provides an opportunity to advance the political passion of young and talented Armenian-American activists.” Boyadjian continued,”I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve you, and to congratulate our engaged, dedicated, and hardworking committee, whose love and passion for our Armenian community knows no bounds.”

Following Boyadjian and Gourjian, ANCA-WR Chair, Nora Hovsepian, Esq. took the stage. “As we all witnessed the horrific act of terror in Las Vegas a week ago today in which countless lives were senselessly lost, or the recent disasters in Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida which will affect those communities forever, or the loss of dozens of Armenian soldiers and civilians falling to Azeri bullets in recent months, we know that mere expressions of concern are not enough, and we must continue to soldier on,” stated Hovsepian. “For our People have lived through tragedy and survived many times before. Despite the deep scars that will forever remain in our national psyche as survivors of a mass crime, we have found strength in the Cause which propels us forward. We continue to remain focused like a laser beam on our mission, and we will not be deterred by obstacles placed in our path by anyone,” continued Hovsepian.

In her remarks, Hovsepian then moved to provide attendees with details of the organization’s accomplishments in 2017. Hovsepian noted the unprecedented success of the Divest Turkey initiative, ensuring that public funds are not used by Turkish government investment vehicles to facilitate Turkey’s ongoing denialist campaign in the U.S. once it is enacted into law. Hovsepian also highlighted the ANCA-WR’s successful efforts in gaining Genocide recognition in all 19 U.S. States in the Western Region; the diligent efforts of the ANCA-WR Education Committee and the Genocide Education Project for building upon last year’s mandates for Armenian Genocide education in the history and social studies curriculum framework and securing up to $10 million in State funding to implement them; and the diligent work of ANCA-WR activists in securing a total of $4 million of State funding for the all-important Armenian American Museum project, all with the leadership and support of legislators who championed these efforts. Hovsepian then highlighted the accomplishments of local chapters, including the ANCA-Glendale chapter’s most recent efforts in fighting genocide denialists, and using the power of grassroots activism to secure advertisement for the film Architects of Denial at The Americana at Brand. In a call to action, attendees and supporters were asked to volunteer their time, sign up as Rapid Responders, register to vote, and financially assist the ANCA-WR’s efforts by joining its monthly and annual giving programs.

The audience then viewed an inspirational and congratulatory video message from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who was unable to personally attend the Gala.

ANCA-WR Board Member Nareg Kitsinian, Esq., then took the stage to announce the official launch of the new monthly giving program ANCAdvocates whereby supporters can donate $15/month or more on an ongoing basis to the ANCA-WR to help its ongoing efforts by texting 41444 with the message 4anc.

Ambassador to United States from the Republic of Armenia, His Excellency Grigor Hovhannissian,  then took the stage and addressed the audience. Ambassador Hovhannissian noted,  “I am here to convey a sense of solidarity and gratitude to thousands of people who annually, selflessly work hours, volunteer their time and resources to promote Armenian causes. This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of US and Armenia relations. The last 25 years we built dynamic a strong partnership and ANCA grassroots activism has played a remarkable role in bringing about a very diverse agenda that is now being transitioned from aid to trade. I appreciate ANCA’s effort in reaching that agenda with economic topics such as the tax treaty.”

Upon the conclusion of Ambassador Hovhannissian’s speech, the audience viewed a video presentation about the Armenian American Museum, and the activism in part of the ANCA-WR to make this vision a reality.

Following the video presentation, ANCA-WR Board Members Anahid Oshagan, Esq. and Berdj Karapetian presented the 2017 ANCA-WR Legislator of the Year award to California State Senator Anthony Portantino for his strong leadership and ongoing commitment to forcefully defending and advancing issues critical to Armenians worldwide. Oshagan noted that Portantino “managed to include millions in funding for teacher training and curriculum implementation.  Training that will include the lessons of the Armenian Genocide…he has called on the Republic of Turkey to return confiscated church properties to their rightful congregations… the Special Committee he chairs organized the screening of the motion picture The Promise in Sacramento this past April.” Karapetian expressed gratitude to Senator Portantino, stating, “he succeeded in establishing and chairing the Senate Select Committee on California, Armenia and Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange…he was the first elected official to call on the Americana at Brand to reverse its decision and allow public advertising for the Armenian Genocide and Human Rights Documentary Architects of Denial…and he championed the funding of $3 million to the Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California.”

As the applause and standing ovation subsided, Senator Portantino addressed the audience, “I’ve learned so much from each of you, certainly demand for justice for the Armenian Genocide is first among them, but there is so much more that we as your elected leaders should and must do.” Senator Portantino expressed that even recently, by watching the film Architects of Denial, he has learned more and more about the struggles and challenges of the Armenian people;  “I grasp  a more in-depth compression about the events of the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the pogroms in Baku and the brutality of the Azeris directed against the peaceful people in Stepanakert and Shushi.” Senator Portantino continued,  “Without the presence of organizations like the ANCA, it is all too easy to forget these historic events and the many tests the Armenians and the Armenian -American community have had to endure to survive.” Senator Portantino then reflected on his trip to Artsakh, and shared with the audience the details of a poignant interaction he had with a member of the Artsakh Military;  “I made a point to travel to the border of Artsakh with my good friend Councilman Zareh Sinanyan during our visit to Hayastan. Zareh took me to Aghdam to visit with the brave soldiers at the front. A front that shortly before our visit erupted in violence, as the Azeri forces violated a tenuous ceasefire and what sticks in my mind most and allows me to add voice and actions to not just representing my friends in this room but Armenians wherever they are in the world was when a Major in the Artsakh military held out his fist and handed me a handful of dirt and he stated ‘this is our land, we will stand on our land, and we will fight on our land, and we will die on our land.’”

After a live performance by Ara Dabanjian and Soseh Keshishian from Element Band,   ANCA-WR Board Members Sako Berberian and Viken Pakradouni, Esq. presented the ANCA-WR Arts and Letters award to Bared Maronian. In his remarks, Pakradouni noted, “Mr. Maronian is probably best known for Orphans of the Genocide. The documentary tells the story of hundreds of thousands of Armenian orphans who lived through the horrors of war, the obstacles they overcame to survive and the rescue efforts of Near East Relief.   Orphans of the Genocide has reached millions of viewers through national television broadcasting and satellite distribution.  We are proud that working with the ANCA-Western Region through its ‘America We Thank You’ initiative, Mr. Maronian also produced a 30-minute documentary film tribute to Near East Relief.” Berberian continued, “We are honoring Mr. Maronian tonight for his body of work but especially because of his latest work – Women of 1915.  Women of 1915 is a documentary focusing on the integral role that Armenian women played in their communities, the plight of Armenian women during the Genocide and their resilient survival after 1915. “

In accepting the award, Maronian expressed appreciation for the recognition.  Maronian emphasized the significance of having the voices of the oppressed heard through film. Maronian then dedicated his award to his supporters and remarked, “It was only through your support, that I was able to make that voice heard, in this case the voices of the feeble orphans, and the voices of the resilient Armenian women and non-Armenian women, who despite horrific injustices helped to save a nation.”

Following Maronian’s moving acceptance speech, ANCA-WR Board Members Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian and Nareg Kitsinian, Esq. presented United States Congressman David Valadao with the ANCA-WR Advocate for Justice Award. In his remarks, Kitsinian highlighted Congressman Valadao’s work with the HALO Trust in demining Artsakh, stating, “Congressman Valadao is working with ANCA to safe guard US aid to demine the Republic of Artsakh.” Zerounian-Khanzadian continued, “Congressman Valadao visited Artsakh, where alongside government officials and ANCA chairman Raffi Hamparian,  he personally observed the HALO Trust demining program that he helped to fund.”

In his acceptance speech, Congressman Valadao expressed his commitment to the Armenian cause, noting, “As a member of the House of Representatives I have sought to use my position and my voice to highlight the issues facing the Armenian-American community and bring awareness to its rich history.” Congressman Valadao voiced his continued support for demining Artsakh; “Just last month with the assistance of ANCA I worked to include language in fiscal year 2018 appropriation legislation to ensure for the ongoing demining projects in Nagorno Karabakh. This funding will help to protect Armenian families who live under the very real threat of landmine  accidents each and every single day.” He concluded his speech, “during my time in Congress and in my role as co-chairman in the Armenian Caucus,  advancing the cause of Armenian-Americans has and continues to be one of my top priorities in Washington.”

ANCA-WR Board Member Joseph Kaskanian took to the podium to recognize the 2017 ANCA Western Region and ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Program participants Emily Samvalian, Shant Reganyan, Raffi Hairapetian, Hakop Mesropian, Flora Adamian, Nicholas Portnoy, Hasmik Burushyan, Isabelle Grigoryan, Adrine Keosian, Shant Eulmessekian,  Shushan Gabrielyan, and Hagop Housbian.

Kaskanian opened his remarks by going through the values instilled and opportunities provided to interns and youth in the community and the critical role they play in the organization’s success and continued on to state,  “This year ANCA -WR interns have continued to be leaders in the community by participating in the Leo Sarkisian Internship in DC and working with the Armenian Youth Federation, Armenian Relief Society and as well as Asbarez. We look forward to seeing what else all of you will achieve for the Armenian Cause.”

Following Kaskanian’s remarks and presentation, ANCA-WR Board Members Raffi Kassabian, Esq. and Steve Artinian presented The Promise director Terry George with the ANCA-WR Arts and Letters Award. In his remarks, Kassabian stated, “Terry George’s The Promise brought the personal stories and tragedies of the Armenian Genocide to life on the screen to the entire world. Never intimidated to speak out against genocide, Terry’s vision made film viewers experience the events of 1915 – the blood that our ancestors sacrificed at the battle of Musa Dagh, the tireless efforts of the United States in saving thousands of orphans through the Near East Relief, and the survival – the survival – of our ancestors to preserve our culture and ensure that the next generation lives to carry our cause forward.” Artinian added, “ Terry’s work embodies what America and this world cannot and will not. The power of the film can educate, motivate, and activate our community and beyond.”

Upon taking the stage, the director of The Promise stated, “Film is eternal. This story that we have told is an eternal reminder to the world of both the horror committed against the Armenian people but even more so of their strength.” As the audience cheered and applauded, George continued, “This group of refugees represented in this room, represent the very best of the world. They suffered the worst calamity, they managed to survive, they spread out around the world, and they have stood firm in their belief for justice, and not only that – they have empowered the small country to developed and to find its own way against enormous odds. And that at the heart of it is the story of our film.” George then touched on the parallel between the events of 1915, and the modern day atrocities being carried out against Christians and Yezidis in the Middle East. “While we were making the film, we watched as we were shooting, people fleeing across the desert being driven towards Aleppo- a lot of them Armenian survivors from a hundred years before. We were filming people drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, and we were watching people drown in the Mediterranean sea on the news.”

In concluding his speech, Terry George recognized his friend and colleague Eric Esrailian who was present in the room and then paid tribute to his friend, colleague, and activist, the late musician Chris Cornell. George then predicted upcoming victories for Cornell’s song The Promise, adding, “In the forthcoming awards season we will triumph.”

After a live musical performance by Raffi Semerdjian, ANCA Nationaal Chair Raffi Hamparian took the stage to introduce the night’s Freedom Award recipient –  “Courage in the eye of the storm, a voice for the voiceless, a beacon of faith, a beacon of hope, a beacon of light, a beacon of justice” – Garo Paylan. As cheers erupted, and the audience rose to its feet, Paylan graciously took the stage and remarked, “102 years later and our wounds are still open, and as much as I am proud of our efforts, we weren’t able to make the people who are responsible for this crime… An unpunished crime creates new crimes and unfortunately, the crime that is genocide is still going on. 102 years ago it was the Armenians who suffered the Genocide, now it is the Kurdish people. As a Democrat, it is my responsibility to stop all those crimes from recurring by bringing awareness. I, as a human rights activist for decades, could say that I am still struggling for all crimes of human rights violations. We need to care about Armenia, Artsakh, Karabakh, but first of all we need to end the crimes against humanity.” Paylan went on to address the collective struggle to achieve genocide recognition, “ But we are still struggling. I live with millions of Turks who want to recognize the Armenian Genocide. I live with millions of Kurds who want to recognize the Armenian Genocide. And we are struggling all together.”

Paylan’s acceptance speech concluded the evening’s program, and attendees slowly exited the banquet room, feeling invigorated, energized, and motivated to continue advocating for issues of significance to the Armenian -American Community, and the Armenian Community at large.

Dignitaries, elected officials, and ANCA-WR endorsed candidates in attendance included Congress Members Judy Chu,  Ed Royce, Adam Schiff, David Valadao;  CA State Treasurer John Chiang; California State Controller Betty Yee; Assemblymembers Sebastian Ridley-Thomas and Tony Thurmond; California State Senator Anthony Portantino; Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang; Los Angeles City Councilmembers Paul Koretz, Paul Krekorian and David Ryu; Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member Scott Schmerelson; Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees Vice President Mike Fong and Members Mike Eng and  Scott Svonkin; Burbank Vice Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy; Burbank School Board Member Dr. Armond Aghakhanian; Glendale City Councilmember Ara Najarian; Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Ardy Kassakhian; Glendale Community College Board Members Dr. Armina Gharpetian and Yvette Vartanian Davis; Glendale School Board Vice President Greg Krikorian; Glendale Unified School Board Members Nayiri Nahapetian and Shant Sahakian; City of Montebello Mayor Vivian Romero; Montebello City Council Member Jack Hadjinian; Montebello City Treasurer Ashod Mooradian; Pasadena Unified School District President Roy Boulghourjian; City of Pico Rivera Mayor Bob Archuleta; Crescenta Valley Town Council President Harry Leon; and City of Downey Mayor Pro Tem Sean Ashton.

Additional community leaders in attendance included Armenian Apostolic Church Western Diocese Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian’s representative Very Reverend Dajad Yardumian, Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union Reverend Berdj Djambazian, representative of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of North America Father Manuel Parsegh Baghdassarian, Permanent Representative to the United States from the Republic of Artsakh Honorable Robert Avetisyan, Consul to the Los Angeles from the Republic of Armenia Honorable Armella Shakaryan, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Members Hagop Der Khatchadourian and Dr. Viken Yacoubian, Chairman of the Central Committee, A.R.F. of the Western USA Daron Der Khachadourian, Chairman of the Armenian Cultural Foundation Avedik Izmirlian, Chair of the ANCA Eastern Region Steve Mesrobian, Community benefactors and the major banquet sponsor Mr. and Mrs. Varant and Hoori Melkonian, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles and Consulate member Honorable Akira Chiba, Chair of the ANC-Canada Western Region based in Vancouver Hagop Der Hagopian, representatives of the Armenian Ramgavar Party Kevork Krikorian and Cage Tcharkutian, representatives of the Armenian Social Democrat Hunchak Party Kapriel Moloyan and Vahe Atchabahian, member of the AGBU Western District Board Talin Yacoubian, Esq., Chair of the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund Raffi Kendirjian, Chair of the Armenian Relief Society Regional Executive Silva Poladian, Member of the Homenetmen Central Executive Viggen Davidian, Chair of the Armenian Youth Federation Central Executive Raffi Senekeremian, representative of the Homenetmen Western U.S. Regional Executive Berj Bedoyan, Chair of the Western Prelacy Board of Regents Lisa Gaboudian, Chair of the National Organization of Republican Armenians Aram Gaboudian, Incoming President of the Southern California Armenian Democrats Arthur Charchian, Esq., Executive Director of the Armenian Hellenic Council Ioannis Fidanakis, Producer of The Promise Film Dr. Eric Esrailian, Assistant Director of The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law Jessica Peake, Faculty Director of The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law Dr. Asli Bali, Executive Director of the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights Kate Nahapetian, Esq., Chair of the USC Armenian Studies Institute Leadership Council Charly Chailian, Chair of the Armenian Bar Association Saro Kerkonian, Chair of the Organization of Istanbul Armenians Edvin Minasian, Executive Director of The Genocide Education Project Roxanne Makasdjian, President of the Armenian Bone Marrow Registry Dr. Frieda Jordan, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America Aram Hamparian, Editor of Asbarez Apo Boghigian, English Editor of Asbarez Ara Khachatourian, Judge of Los Angeles Superior Court Honorable Zaven Sinanian, Judge of Los Angeles Superior Court Honorable Greg Keosian, Commissioner of the CA Commission on Judicial Performance Pattyl Aposhian Kasparian, Chair of the City of Glendale’s community development block grant commission Zanku Armenian, Glendale Parks and Rec Commissioner Elen Asatryan, Chair of the LA Police Permit Review Panel Lara Yeretsian, Trustee of the George Ignatius Foundation Michael Amerian, Esq., ANCA-endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate from Nevada Danny Tarkanian, ANCA-endorsed candidate for Congress from Utah’s 3rd congressional district Dr. Kathie Allen, President of the Glendale Teachers Association Talene Arsenian, and Director of Bureau of Street Lighting of the City of Los Angeles Ed Ebrahimian

The corporate sponsors of the 2017 ANCA-WR Gala included: Michael Aram, Closet World, Garo Mardirossian & Associates, Inc., New York Life, Golden State Bank, Southern California Edison, Southland Disposal, CSUN, Dignity Health, Construction Group, Inc., LASOLAR Group, Martinian & Associates Inc., NASA, Allen Massihi, D.P.M., Southern California Gas Company, Sempra Energy utility, Anoush Banquet Halls and Catering, GourjianLawGroup, Marriott Armenia ,Yerevan, Martin, GotPrint.com, Vertigo, Rental Avenue, Le Style My Soirée, Kitchen 12000, The Guardian of Health, Bitter & Sweet, and Avant Garden.

The Gala Committee included Co-Chairs Jacklin Boyadjian, J.D. and Elizabeth Gourjian, Anita Altounian, Anita Aslanian, Arsho Beylerian, Lina Davidian, Esq., Armine Der Grigorian, Marie Filipian, Alex Garibyan, Harry Geozian, Anita Gevorkian, Gor Gevorkyan, Edgar Hayrapetyan, Salpi Jejeian, Solair Kargodorian, Michael Kay,Vanna Kitsinian, Esq., Ani Nalbandian, J.D., Boghos Patatian, Tina Karayan Porta, Esq., Suren Seropian, Mary Simitian, Nora Tchaparian, Vahagn Thomasian, Armine Zakaryan, and ANCA-WR Board Liaisons Steve Artinian, Sako Berberian, Berdj Karapetian, and Hermineh Pakhanians.

The ANCA-WR Annual Banquet is the largest event of its kind and helps raise funds to operate the nation’s most broad-based Armenian-American grassroots and political advocacy organization. Through these funds, the ANCA-WR is able to educate the general public about the Armenian Genocide, the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh, and other vital issues of concern to the Armenian-American community.

To financially assist the ANCA-WR in its work, community members are encouraged to enroll in the ANCAdvocates program, Friends of the ANCA-WR Monthly Giving, the ANCA-WR Founders’ Circle Annual Giving, and the Support our Supporters Corporate and Business Giving programs by visiting www.ancawr.org/donate or calling 818.500.1919.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Armenian National Committee of America-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 ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Not the liberated territory, but the territory of the Republic of Artsakh (video)

Today, Garnik Isagulyan, advisor to the NKR permanent representative to Armenia, told journalists that we should not speak about the liberated or occupied territories of Artsakh, but we can exclusively speak about territory of the Republic of Artsakh and its integrity.

Just a few days ago, I wrote a report to the Republic of Artsakh. When Bako Sahakyan read the report, he asked a question about “liberated territories.” He said that these could be considered as liberated territories in 1992-1994 and instructed me not to speak of about liberated territories anymore.