Author: Maral Takmazian

Emilio Alberto Salvatierra presenting at the Immaculate Conception School in Tucumán, Argentina

Although the Armenian Genocide occurred in 1915 and Argentina recognized it in 1987, many young people are still unaware of the subject. That is why the Armenian Volunteer Network (AMVN) decided to provide a lesson about the Genocide to a group of junior and senior high school students at the Immaculate Conception School in Tucumán, Argentina.

I proposed this idea to the school administration last year. School officials and teaching staff agreed that lessons on Armenian history and the Genocide should be incorporated into the curriculum.

The commemoration event on April 29 gave students the opportunity to develop their knowledge of this important field of study and to engage in discussions on the topic. It also provided a space for reflection on the Armenian Genocide and how we treat each other today. The student body of about 420 students was divided into three groups, and our presentation was conducted three times. I led the presentation with facts, videos and images.

Since I’m writing my thesis on human rights and the Armenian Genocide, I have acquired a number of resources that I referred to during my presentation. I have read the scholarly works of Raphael Lemkin, Hannah Arendt, Yuval Noah Harari, Vahakn Dadrian, Dr. Taner Akcam, Sevane Garibian and Nélida Boulgourdjian, who is my professor and the chair of Armenian Studies at the University of Buenos Aires.

Knowing and understanding why and how the Armenian Genocide occurred is the key to preventing its repetition in the future.

The effort to prevent genocide calls for educating young people to make them aware of the processes leading to mass violence and genocide. Education should contribute to the development of a more active sense of social and political responsibility, strengthening the defense of human rights.

Genocide is the result of deep-seated situations of stigmatization and discrimination that lead to human rights violations. Prevention must be rooted in an educational policy that promotes peace, human rights and the defense of people’s dignity.

This was my second time helping lead an educational commemoration about the Armenian Genocide. Last year, I organized a virtual presentation from the Netherlands with AMVN for an international audience.

I was asked by students and teachers several times if I am Armenian. I am not, but I don’t need to be Armenian to share in the pain. I don’t need to be Armenian to stand up for Armenians and take action and demand justice. The only thing I need to be is a human being. 

I am optimistic about the future when I see young students looking forward to learning about genocide. As part of AMVN, I look forward to establishing more international connections to promote genocide education.

I would like to thank the University of Saint Pablo Tucumán-Argentina, Yerevan Gladzor University, the Armenian Studies department at the National University of Rosario-Argentina, the Armenian Studies department at University of Buenos Aires, Dr. Nélida Boulgourdjian, Immaculate Conception School Banda del Río Salí and the Armenian Volunteer Network for their commitment to make the tragic date visible.

Emilio Alberto Salvatierra preparing for his presentation

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) with event host Garo Mardirossian, Esq. and ANCA chairman Raffi Hamparian, briefing attendees.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) leaders gathered with friends and supporters to honor US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) – a decades-long champion of Armenian American concerns, who led the historic 2019 battle to secure unanimous US Senate recognition of the Armenian Genocide and continues his unwavering support for Armenia’s security and Artsakh’s freedom. Chairman Menendez has had strong ties to the ANC of New Jersey for decades and consistently receives an “A+” rating on the ANCA Congressional Report Card.

“Senator Menendez’s bold leadership and principled defense of human rights and American values have been a hallmark of his service in the House and Senate,” said ANCA chairman Raffi Hamparian. “The ANCA has been with him every step of the way and looks forward to our continued work together.”

Garo Mardirossian, Esq. and his wife Yulia generously hosted the evening, which included special guest, His Eminence Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, Holy Etchmiadzin’s Pontifical Envoy-at-Large and former Primate of Artsakh. Hamparian was joined by ANCA National Board members Zanku Armenian, Aida Dimejian and Ani Tchaghlasian, who traveled from the Senator’s home state of New Jersey to offer a Garden State Armenian welcome to Chairman Menendez.

His Eminence Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, Holy Etchmiadzin’s Pontifical Envoy-at-Large and former Primate of Artsakh, offers Sen. Bob Menendez and ANCA National Board member Ani Tchaghlasian an update on the increasing challenges facing Artsakh.

“I was honored to host Chairman Menendez at my home with a broad and distinguished cross-section of Armenian Americans,” shared Mardirossian. “I am proud to stand with Chairman Menendez – who is firmly committed to working to strengthen US-Armenia ties, defend Artsakh freedom and secure justice for the Armenian Genocide. With new challenges facing the United States and our Armenian homeland, Chairman Menendez’s visionary leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is needed now more than ever to ensure that peace and justice prevail for Armenia and Artsakh.”

“Armenian Americans in the Garden State and across the US stand with Senator Menendez in our collective pursuit for justice for the Armenian Genocide, self-determination for Artsakh and stronger US-Armenia ties,” said Tchaghlasian. “From his unstinting resolve to end US complicity in Armenian Genocide denial to ongoing efforts to stop US military aid to Azerbaijan, and block the sale of US aircraft to Erdogan’s autocratic Turkey – Senator Menendez has been a champion for human rights and peace. We look forward to working together for years to come to advance Armenian American priorities and values.”

Senator Menendez’s tenacious resolve to end US Senate complicity in Turkey’s Armenian Genocide denial culminated in the unanimous passage of the bipartisan resolution he authored in December, 2019. The Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.150) established, as a matter of U.S. policy, 1) the rejection of Armenian Genocide denial, 2) ongoing official US government recognition and remembrance of this crime, and 3) support for education about the Armenian Genocide in order to help prevent modern-day atrocities.

Senator Menendez has been equally adamant about enforcing Section 907 restrictions on US aid to Azerbaijan, initially adopted as part of the FREEDOM Support Act in 1992 in response to Azerbaijan’s blockade and attacks against Armenia and Artsakh. In June 2020, alarmed that the US military aid program to Azerbaijan had skyrocketed, Senator Menendez requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) provide the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with a detailed report on this assistance program and its compliance with Section 907.  The GAO report, released in March 2022, revealed that the State Department consistently failed to inform Congress of the impact of over $164 million in assistance to Baku on the military balance between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“The human consequences of the terrible war in Nagorno-Karabakh underscore the deep concerns that I have long had about providing US assistance to Azerbaijan,” stated Sen. Menendez. “These findings are further proof that the status quo is unacceptable, and we must exercise additional scrutiny over the U.S. government’s ongoing provision of assistance to Azerbaijan. In the coming weeks, I will be renewing my efforts for the State Department to reconsider any future planned assistance to Azerbaijan, respect Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, and improve its reporting to Congress in the future.”

Senator Menendez’s stellar record of support for key community concerns began with his election as mayor in Union City in 1986 and continued during his time in the New Jersey State legislature from 1988 to 1992 and his 1992 election to the US House of Representatives.  Elected to the US Senate in 2006, Senator Menendez often took the lead in questioning US ambassadorial nominees to Turkey and Azerbaijan regarding their positions on the Armenian Genocide and efforts to mediate a lasting peace for the Republic of Artsakh. When nominees crossed the line into Armenian Genocide denial or showed undue bias toward Azerbaijan, Senator Menendez resisted White House and Senate leadership pressure, placing a “hold” on the candidates, ultimately blocking nominee Dick Hoagland from becoming US Ambassador to Armenia and stopping a full-term appointment for Matt Bryza as US Ambassador to Azerbaijan.