Category: 2023

Armenian refugee woman and child receiving food relief, American Committee for Relief in the Near East (Wikimedia Commons)

Cracked wheat,

Ground beef,

Onions, peppers, tomatoes.

Food from the old country.

Food of my people.

Farmers, merchants, textile artists

Fight oppression for 1,500 years.

Forced out in 1915

Bringing the food with them.

Growing up in the Depression

They still found ways

To preserve our heritage

Through church,

And through food.

Now that we are

Under attack again

I try to continue

To keep attached

To my roots

So I can say

With pride

“Ես հայ եմ”

Varak Ghazarian in Hadrut, 2018

, that it took 30 years for us to appreciate and care for you. That it took losing such a large portion of who you were throughout history. That it took 30 years to realize a vital part of you was at the brink of collapse. Maybe we were not deserving of you. We never truly appreciated you, and it was made clear. For the past 100 years, we have opened the floodgates and fled your beauty, willingly or unwillingly. I do not fault anyone for this as my family fled due to the Armenian Genocide. The strife for a better life (or just even a life) is something all should aspire to. Yet, now we all sit in the comfort of our first-world countries, able to attain all of which we aspire to. I am at a loss because my aspirations can be sought out here in Armenia. Armenia needs many to come back and populate to its maximum capacity so that it can have all the strengths of a country and spring a new life. 

There is always a caveat as to why we cannot come and live here in Armenia as a diaspora. “Oh, let me go become a professional, and I will come back.” “Oh, let me go make X amount of money, and I will come back.” How many people have come and stayed out of all those making such claims? A handful, relative to the amount that needs to come. We pride ourselves upon these Western institutions we were raised in and believe are the cure-all. It is time to push them to one side and build up some Armenian institutions so the world can take note of our beautiful nation that is ready to blossom. Let us open the floodgates into the country, and build it up the proper way. 

One government to the next, it has always been the same shenanigans. Corruption and bureaucratic absurdities that will drive people thousands and thousands of kilometers away just to live a decent life away from all the nonsense. 

Let us instill some hope not only to Yerevan, but to the whole country. Let Stepanakert be full of Armenians from South America. Let Gyumri become a beautiful fusion of Gyumri and Glendale. Let Vanadzor have a Parisian Armenian community. Let Kapan flourish to become the next Moscow. Let them not be each their own centers, but rather a beautiful interconnected network working to advance Armenia in a multifaceted and unique way. One that the world can talk about and be a hopeful example to all. Because there still is hope for Armenia and for the world. 

We as Armenians and citizens of the world do not have a duty to flood into Armenia and project hope onto the world, but rather a sense of being. A sense of understanding and purpose which could be provided in Armenia. One that will not be received elsewhere or will be hard to come by. To find fulfillment in oneself by being part of nation and nation building. Let us not wait another 30 years for us to lose a larger chunk of land or receive another slap in the face. The time was yesterday. We did not take advantage, so let us instead start today. No more talking. Let’s take concrete steps to save whatever we have left in Armenia and this world. Look inward and find that purpose, for your clock is ticking and time is ephemeral.

– A Concerned Armenian

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about to shake hands (European Council, August 31).

Since 2018 and particularly after the 2020 war with Azerbaijan (and Turkey), the Pashinyan administration has advocated for what they refer to as the “peace agenda.” It is the belief of the Prime Minister that it is in the best interests of Armenia to secure a peace treaty with Azerbaijan and to normalize relations with Turkey. Both nations are considered longstanding enemies by their own unilateral actions. Pashinyan envisions a defined border with respect for each nation’s territorial integrity that would end hostilities. The agreements with Turkey would open the western border to commerce and travel for the first time since 1993 and establish diplomatic relations between the two countries. Hard to argue with the goal. The question is always at what price and who will guarantee the peace? Self-governing is obviously not an option, and Russia’s presence would be a replay of the current Artsakh crisis. Pashinyan has been heavily criticized in Armenia and the diaspora for his continued commitment to this approach. He is acutely aware of the risk of escalation when responding to Azerbaijani provocations. They are intended to keep pushing Armenia toward compromise or outright capitulation. Many Armenians are frustrated by the lack of border integrity by Armenia as Azerbaijan continues its terror campaign on the eastern regions. The strongest supporters for this strategy of peace, aside from his own political allies, are the western nations that continue to encourage bilateral talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve all open issues. This is no surprise since most third parties consider the current conflict a destabilizing factor for their own interests and would love nothing more than some form of agreement. From Armenia’s perspective, the problem is that they are more concerned about establishing peace rather than the content of the agreement. Peace can be established by one party surrendering to the other’s demands and subordinating itself and its interests. Peace is always a compromise unless it is unconditional. Aliyev considers this the formality of a defeated nation. Here is the essence of the “peace agenda.” This is, in my view, the flaw with this perspective. The third parties are not insisting on a peace agenda that addresses the root causes and the “peace agenda,” and neither is Armenia. It seems to be a matter of short term convenience. Who will contain the racist intentions of the Turkish alliance? It is foolish to think an agreement will alter their strategic intent.

The global dynamics have shifted significantly in the last two years. With the war of attrition in the Ukraine, the east/west wall has emerged with its greatest definition since the fall of the Soviet Union. Ukraine, with its own set of democratic challenges, has become the proxy for the west in a narrative that is defined as freedom versus tyranny. Russia, for its part, has reached out for new partnerships as a result of the political and economic isolation from western sanctions. They are working with China in another extension of the global divide. Duplicitous and pseudo NATO ally Turkey is always a willing partner to deceive the west for its own interests, and the west tragically extends long-term forgiveness to the Turks. None of this is good news for Armenia. A wounded Russia is actually more dangerous in its relations with smaller “allies,” such as Armenia. Russia will adjust to the new geopolitical alignment, and some of their decisions, such as the relations with Turkey, are potentially harmful to Armenia. Putin has complete disdain for the European presence on Armenia’s border with the unarmed observers and competes with the EU and US in diplomatic outreach with Armenia. It is logical to assume that Russia would green light or at least ignore Azerbaijani escalation if it was to discredit the European presence. Armenia is attempting to complete a “peace agenda” with two parties allied with each other who have yet to wipe the blood off their hands from their criminal atrocities committed in 2020. Aliyev has a stated goal to take Artsakh, Syunik and all of Armenia. Turkey, for its part, defines the diaspora and Armenians as “remnants of the sword” (survivors of the Genocide) and uses Azerbaijani aggression to further its pan-Turkish vision. Armenia is reluctant to initiate meaningful responses after each atrocity and continues with its “peace agenda.” Aliyev murders civilians and military while Armenia responds with its readiness for peace. While it is obvious that Pashinyan maintains this position to convince western democracies to support Armenia, the terms of support from the west are questionable.

History can be a great teacher. The French deceitfully abandoned Cilicia in 1920 reneging on their commitment to the Armenians and exposing them to further massacres. The Americans rejected President Wilson’s mandate for Western Armenia, crushing any hope for justice as a result of the Genocide. The causes for these missed opportunities lie in the lack of self-interest for the third parties. In the vernacular, it is referred to as “what’s in it for me.” A weak Armenia was in no position to offer “self-interest,” and predictable isolationism prevailed. What makes us think that the west can deliver this time?

Let us recall the events in Georgia in 2008. President Saakashvili of Georgia had come to power with a priority to fully reintegrate the rebellious mixed ethnic regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. His resolve was fully backed by Europeans and the United States. The western desire for access to the new oil pipeline through Georgia into Turkey that bypassed Russia and reduced dependency on Middle East oil was a major motivator for US support. The promise to expedite Georgia’s membership to NATO sweetened the budding alliance. When the Russian-backed rebel forces combined with the Russian military attacked the Georgian troops, the western support was non-existent. Certainly there was economic and post-war military assistance, and Georgia severed ties with Russia, but this new reality came at the price of the loss of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. These two regions became “independent” but a defective part of the Russian Federation. Ethnic Georgians were purged, and they lost two regions that total a little less than 50-percent of the size of the Republic of Armenia. While mourning its losses, Georgia had ample time to read all the letters of “outrage” from the west. Georgia has a great deal more to offer the west for its support with an oil pipeline, access to the Black Sea and its anti-Russian perspectives, yet it was isolated and humiliated by the Russians in 2008.

Recently, there has been bold talk in Armenia about leaving the CSTO, a military alliance led by Russia consisting of former Soviet states. The members are Belarus, Russia, Armenia and three central Asian majority Islamic nations. Belarus has never supported Armenia, and its strongman Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin, has gone out of his way to embarrass Armenia. The three central Asian nations have consistently been reluctant to maintain the CSTO commitment to Armenia as it relates to Islamic Azerbaijan. Despite the tepid support from individual states, Russia is the power broker and has skillfully manipulated its inaction to the frustration of the Armenian government. Emotionally, leaving the CSTO is understandable. It is a mutual defense pact with no resolve. It is comparable to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty (mutual defense support for each member state) having no importance. Politically, however, it is impractical for Armenia to exit the CSTO. What is the alternative? The west, unfortunately, has provided no tangible alternative that can be reliable. The example of Georgia should be a wall poster in Yerevan. Armenia has found out that joining this nefarious group is easier than exiting. While the anti-Russian rhetoric grows and provides an emotional release, it is a dangerous practice in the absence of support to fill the void. Foreign policy must be driven by practical resolve of the nation’s self-interest and not as an emotional response to humiliation. Armenia is clearly not respected by these nations. Instead of trying to please others with responses that are at best risky to providing stability, we need to determine the cause of lack of respect and establish policies that improve our standing. Respect garners meaningful support from allies and serves as a deterrent to enemies. If Azerbaijan wantonly attacks Armenia and the latter’s response is tolerance, will our enemies respect us? If we cling to a peace agenda to ensure the hope of western support, what happens when the western support does not evolve beyond unarmed observers, limited financial assistance and countless non-binding resolutions? How will Russia react to the anti-Russian rhetoric by the government? Will it enable green lighting more Azeri terror? Armenia looks compromised because of the geopolitical circumstances but also because our policies are defensive. Peace agenda? For whom? What are our expectations? What are we willing to compromise, and what are our red lines? Azerbaijan behaves like a barbaric nation with no integrity as a negotiating player, yet we robotically cling to the “peace agenda.” The horrific response of the other party to the “peace agenda” should require some adjustments by Armenia.

The Armenian people deserve to know what is the “price” of the “peace agenda.” Deduction has determined that the self-determination of Artsakh is part of that price. This has already caused great consternation within our global Armenian nation. Is the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” also a chip, and would it be viewed as a tradeoff for Lachin? This must be a red line as any corridor is comparable to surrendering sovereignty. Russia would love to manage a compromise by being responsible for the corridor to serve its goal of reducing Armenia to a de facto part of the Russian Federation. Who believes that if “peace” agreements are signed that Azerbaijan and Turkey will cease their aggression? Are we willing to mortgage our future on an agreement that cannot be guaranteed? There is no precedent for Azerbaijan ever abiding by an agreement in 35 years. Pashinyan recently stated we can have peace if we focus on the 29,800 square kilometers being recognized as Armenia, and we will not ever have territorial demands on others. These are large and bold statements. Our enemies and many Armenians will see them as forgetting Western Armenia, Artsakh and any other territories usurped over the years that have created a cause for injustice. Is this the price for the “peace agenda?” If so, the Armenian people have the right to know the government’s negotiating position. Such a critical position should be subject to a national referendum. We cannot create the veneer of generalities left to interpretation and then announce an agreement with our enemies. We need clarity, and the government has a responsibility to negotiate from a strong and clear position that will ensure a prosperous future. We should be concerned when many Armenians feel like outsiders and transparency is minimized.

Rebirth, March 25, 2023

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ—On Saturday, March 25, Hamazkayin of New Jersey, together with the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) “Agnouni,” Bergen “Armenouhi” and “Shakeh” Chapters of New Jersey, AYF-YOARF New Jersey “Arsen” Chapter and Homenetmen of New Jersey presented a spectacular, sold-out event “Rebirth,” dedicated to the fallen heroes of our homeland.

A procession of flags and drums by the Homenetmen scouts and members of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) opened the program, followed by the national anthems of the United States, Artsakh and Armenia.

The beautifully curated and star studded program was filled with patriotic songs and traditional dances. Composer and oud master Ara Dinkjian mesmerized the audience with his renditions of popular national songs. World-renowned duduk player Arsen Petrosyan offered the deep and melancholy ancient music of Armenia. Artsakh’s gifted poet Hermine Avagyan read her original pieces and gave the audience a glimpse of everyday life in Artsakh under siege by Azerbaijan. With his captivating and rich voice, Arabo Ispiryan’s performance reminded the audience of the Armenian nation’s ultimate sacrifice for its freedom and independence. Nune Yesayan also took the stage with her electrifying songs that brought audience members to their feet.

Arabo Ispiryan performs at Rebirth, March 25, 2023

The highlight of the program was the Hamazkayin Nayiri Dance Ensemble. Under the direction of Barkev Sanossian, over 100 dancers ages 3-30 performed national and folk dances dressed in splendid traditional Armenian costume. Ethnographer Gagik Ginosyan traveled from Armenia to assist in training the dancers. Ginosyan performed the intricate knife dance “Chalme” with Mkitar Hakobyan on the dumbeg.

Rebirth, March 25, 2023

The Rebirth Committee extends its gratitude to the performers and musical artists who participated in this event and the donors and community members who made it a success.

Rebirth, March 25, 2023

WASHINGTON, DC – Two dozen US Senators and Representatives joined on Capitol Hill ahead of April 24th, the international day of justice for the Armenian Genocide, to warn against Azerbaijan’s ongoing attempts to ethnically cleanse the 120,000 Christian Armenians living in freedom upon their indigenous Artsakh homeland, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“The message today from Capitol Hill to President Biden is, very simply: ‘Prevent a second Armenian Genocide; stop sending American arms and aid to Azerbaijan,’” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “President Biden cannot credibly condemn the Armenian Genocide while arming and abetting the racist, oil-rich dictatorship hell-bent on completing this very crime.”

The annual Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide observance, organized in cooperation with the Congressional Armenian Caucus, was streamed live on the ANCA’s social media platforms.

Congressional Armenian Caucus founding co-chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) praised the Armenian American community’s persistence in securing Congressional and then Presidential recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 2019 and 2021, respectively, but stressed that there is more work to do. “What we see happening in Artsakh, both with the attack, the aggression that took place a couple of years ago, and the cutting off of the Lachin Corridor, in my opinion, is nothing more a continuation of the Genocide,” stated Pallone. “We know the people in Artsakh are suffering, not having enough food, not having medical supplies. To me, that sounds like genocide, but we’re not going to allow it to happen,” concluded Rep. Pallone.

Congressional Armenian Caucus founding co-chair Rep. Frank Pallone

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ), whose wife Nadine’s grandfather was killed during the Armenian Genocide, discussed the “acute humanitarian crisis” in Artsakh resulting from Azerbaijan’s blockade, their ongoing torture and murder of POWs and aggression against Armenia and Artsakh. “Suffice it to say that I’m strongly opposed to having any aid go to a fighting force known for war crimes and aggression against a neighbor state. We should not be in bed with governments like Azerbaijan. It’s inexcusable. It’s morally repugnant. It’s got to stop.” He also noted that continued US security assistance to Azerbaijan “not only damages American national security interests, it flies in the face of our duty to honor the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide and our duty to ensure that history does not repeat itself again.”

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) again stressed his opposition to military aid to Azerbaijan.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), citing her historic Congressional trip to Armenia last year, noted the significance of the Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide commemoration. “As we make clear by tonight’s meeting, preventing a second Armenian Genocide, we must ensure that these atrocities never happen again. There must be a negotiated, comprehensive and lasting settlement to this conflict so that we can pave a way to peace and security. Make no mistake, support for the Armenian people transcends partisanship and politics.”

US House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi stressed that we must prevent a second Genocide and ensure that the atrocities of 1915 never happen again.

California Senator Alex Padilla announced his upcoming introduction of a Senate resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s Artsakh blockade. “And after condemning Azerbaijan, I’m urging the United States government to take immediate steps to end the ongoing and growing humanitarian crisis. The US government needs to live up to its word that we will never ignore the warning signs of genocide, and we will never let this happen again. It is time to act,” concluded Senator Padilla.

Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) with ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian, ANCA National Board member Ani Tchaghlasian and ANCA Programs director Alex Galitsky

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) noted, “Armenians are still under attack today, including those who lost their lives in Artsakh, many forced to flee from the unprovoked aggression of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Azerbaijan’s unprovoked assault on the sovereign territory of Armenia, and the thousands of Armenians who remain at risk of another genocide as Azerbaijan tries to drive them out of Artsakh and Armenia.” Rep. Schiff warned, “Over the past few months we’ve reached a critical point in the hostility of Azerbaijan towards Armenia and Artsakh. And I can tell you I’ve never been more concerned than I am today that Azerbaijan may intend another all-out war on Armenia and Artsakh.”

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)

Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) reminisced about the powerful impact of his trip to Artsakh in 2017, noting, “And it was an interesting experience to go there [Artsakh] and see for myself these people that have fought for themselves, have defended their nation and did everything they possibly could to be a free society. […] And it’s something that I know across the aisle, both Democrat and Republican, we’re going to continue to fight to work to resolve this as quickly as we possibly can.”

Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair David Valadao (R-CA) once again condemned Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression against the Armenians of Artsakh.

Members of Congress also pledged support for the Armenian Genocide Education Act set to be introduced next week, spearheaded by Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Ted Lieu (D-CA), and Rep. Valadao. This landmark legislation – strongly supported by the ANCA – seeks to provide $10 million in funding over five years for the Library of Congress to educate Americans about Ottoman Turkey’s systematic and deliberate state-sponsored mass murder, national dispossession, cultural erasure and exile of millions of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites and other Christians, between 1915 and 1923.

Additional Senate and House Members who offered powerful remarks throughout the evening included: Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Representatives: Judy Chu (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Grace Meng (D-NY), Katie Porter (D-CA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and Dina Titus (D-NV). Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Kevin Mullin (D-CA) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) also joined in the solemn Armenian Genocide remembrance.

Artsakh Representative to the US Robert Avetisyan stressed that there was a “different sense of urgency” during this year’s commemoration. “It is clear for us in Artsakh and increasingly in Armenia that there is a historic opportunity to de-Armenize Artsakh, to take control and eventually modify or destroy the first Armenian Church. To take control, cut the cross, transform our millennial churches. Yes, there is a historic opportunity for Erdogan to do what he promised to do in 2020, when they paired up with Azerbaijan in international terrorism and attacked Artsakh. There’s a historic opportunity for them to finish the deal and mission of their forefathers in the Caucasus. The blockade continues. The threats continue. The attempt at ethnic cleansing continues. So should our struggle.”

Artsakh Representative to the US Robert Avetisyan stressed a “different sense of urgency” during this year’s commemoration amid the ongoing Artsakh blockade.

Keynote speaker Dr. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow of the American Enterprise Institute, made a powerful case against the presidential waiver of Section 907 restrictions on US military assistance to Azerbaijan. “Section 907 and the waiver of Section 907 is ingrained in law. To make excuses inside the State Department is an affront not to Democrats, not to Republicans, but to the entire Congress. This is about respect for Congress, respect for the law. If anyone wants to traffic military equipment to Azerbaijan, when President Aliyev makes it very clear in his statements, including his statement yesterday, that he intends to affect population transfer, ethnic cleansing and so forth, let that Congressman or Senator stand up and say that we need to sell weaponry to Azerbaijan despite what we see is a looming resumption of genocide.”

American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Dr. Michael Rubin

The Armenian Genocide commemorative evening spotlighted the vibrant coalition of organizations standing with Artsakh and Armenia as they face Azerbaijan’s genocidal actions. Hellenic American Leadership Council Government Affairs director Dean Tsilikas served as master of ceremonies of the evening. Several ANCA coalition partners offering remarks, including In Defense of Christian executive director Richard Ghazal, American Friends of Kurdistan president Diliman Abdulkader and A Demand for Action executive director Steve Oshana.

Congressional Armenian Staff Association chair Maria Martirosyan Issakhanian stressed the impact of the Armenian Genocide on the commitment of Armenian American staffers to bring about positive change. “While centuries of persecution and displacement may have resulted in lost family histories, generational trauma and lost economic opportunities, it has also instilled in us the ability to survive, persevere and thrive. And today, Armenian-American congressional staff harness their experience, strengths and talents to help shape the future of this nation and the world.”

His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the United States, offered a stirring invocation sharing the Armenian American experience, noting, “We will walk despite awful deniers, distortions and oppressions. For our patience is deeper than the oceans. Our aspirations are higher than the mountains. Our will and our commitment are as solid as granite. […] May we carry our yoke consciously and willingly for the ultimate victory of truth, justice and peace.”

Hamparian and Armenian Assembly of America National Board member Aram Gavoor also offered remarks.

His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, Artsakh Representative Robert Avetisyan, ANCA National Board member Ani Tchaghlasian, and ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian with Homenetmen, AYF and ANC advocates at the Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide commemoration.

Highlights of Congressional and Coalition Organization Remarks in Solidarity of Artsakh and Armenia and Marking the 108th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide:

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ): “We are united in our commitment to Armenian sovereignty, we’re united in our commitment to human rights, and we’re going to continue to do everything we can to avoid a humanitarian crisis. Now more than ever, we have to acknowledge our shared responsibility. Now more than ever we have to call out violence against innocent people in all shapes and forms. And I want to say thank you because the work cannot stop.”

Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA): “I am proud to be one of the only members of Congress to visit both Armenia and Artsakh. And I saw for myself what a beautiful place Artsakh was. But I do have to tell you that Azerbaijan warned me not to go, so when I came back, they banned me from the country. Yeah. And it’s a badge of honor, yes. And it actually strengthened my resolve to stop Azerbaijan’s continued aggression and their illegal plundering of Artsakh, it made me even more determined to stand by the people of Armenia and Artsakh as they struggle for their right to self-determination.”

Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) with members of the Greater Washington DC Homenetmen Scout Troop #1918.

Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA): “Many of you have heard me say it before, my name is Aram. I come from the land of William Saroyan. With fondness and deep appreciation and a great deal of pride, the Armenian diaspora obviously found its way into so many parts of our country and the world. […] With the situation in Artsakh today, more work needs to be done. Once again, Azerbaijan is demonstrating its disregard for its respect of a sovereign nation, and a people that they are neighbors with. And the world is watching.”

Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) offers remarks to a capacity crowd at the Congressional Armenian Genocide Observance.

Rep. Young Kim (R-CA): “I am proud to co-sponsor the Armenian Genocide Education Act in the 117th Congress, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to advocate for the genocide recognition or lifting the blockade or attending local community events. I have a lot of friends in the Armenian American community. I’m proud to continue to be an advocate for you so please consider me as one of your strongest friends and advocate here working on your behalf, being your voice.”

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY): “As we remember the Armenian Genocide, we must also acknowledge the conflict over Artsakh. Most recently in this chapter, Azerbaijan launched a blockade around Artsakh. This blockade is causing immense suffering to the Armenian people living there. It is a violation of their human rights. We must work towards ending this blockade, ensuring that Artsakh has access to necessary resources like food and medicine. As we stand here today, we not only remember the past, but also support the present and the future of the Armenian people.”

Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI): “As we speak today, 120,000 Armenians are trapped, cut off from food, medicine and fuel, part of Azerbaijan’s longstanding campaign of aggression. Together with my colleagues from the Congressional Armenian Caucus, we have requested $50 million of funding for rebuilding and resettling efforts, including food, energy, security, Internet access, maternal health care and water. We have requested restriction of military assistance to Azerbaijan, urging Azerbaijan to free Armenian prisoners of war. The blockade of Artsakh must end, and it must end now.”

Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY): “As part of these remembrance efforts, I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the Armenian Genocide Education Act, which would promote greater public awareness and understanding of the history, lessons, consequences and ongoing costs of the Armenian Genocide. Not only do we need to remember the past, but we must recognize the ongoing tragedies right in front of us. The blockade of Artsakh is simply unacceptable. Families and their lives have been turned upside down. I know many of you in this room have family, friends and loved ones in Artsakh who continue to be impacted by Azerbaijan’s hateful policies. Please know that I and my colleagues stand with you in calling for the end to this unjust blockade.”

Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA): “The goal is clear, to force the ethnic Armenians of Artsakh from their homeland by imposing conditions that make life impossible. Our response must also be clear. We must hold Azerbaijan accountable for its aggression, and I will keep calling, and if needed, pushing, the Biden administration to be proactive in taking steps to end this blockade. American taxpayers should not be subsidizing Azerbaijan’s hostility against the Armenian people. As long as the aggression continues, Azerbaijan should not receive any military assistance.”

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL): “As we gather here, we’re at the four-month mark of Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Artsakh border, the sole entry point from Armenia to Artsakh. The blockade has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis with shortages of critical supplies such as food, medical equipment, as well as intermittent energy and internet service for the residents of Artsakh. That’s why it’s so important that we speak out and why I join with my colleagues in condemning Azerbaijan’s blockade and calling for using every tool available to bring it to an end. Yet despite our calls and an order from the International Court of Justice to take all measures, the blockade continues and the residents of Artsakh continue to suffer. We cannot and we will not sit idly by.”

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA): “While 115,000 or more Armenians are besieged, we reflect on the fact that the blockade is the tactic. The effect of the blockade is human deprivation. The goal of the blockade is to ethnically cleanse Artsakh. And the result of the blockade will be failure. Because the Armenians who have lived there for over a thousand years aren’t going anywhere. So that’s why I’ve joined colleagues in demanding that we look at sanctions on Azerbaijan, starting with enforcing, of course, Section 907 and completely eliminating any aid to Azerbaijan.”

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA): “The violence in Nagorno-Karabakh continues today on the 129th day of the blockade. And the roughly 120,000 civilians living through this blockade in Artsakh continue to experience food and water shortages and severe lack of medical supplies, electricity and other daily essentials. This is a man-made crisis created by the Azerbaijani government. It is unjust, it is unconscionable, and the current international strategy to open the corridor has proven to be ineffective.”

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA): “Thank you for your advocacy to make the right decision. And you have, indeed, someone who will also be a fierce advocate to make sure that the atrocities being committed by Azerbaijan are not ever endorsed by the US government and are always condemned. And so I’m here today because America stands with Armenia, because Armenia, always with its values, stands with America.”

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV): “It never seems to end as we deal with the boycott of resources and humanitarian supplies in Artsakh by Azerbaijan. On the Foreign Affairs Committee, we have taken the position that we won’t tolerate that, we won’t support it, we’ll call for a ceasefire, call for a safe passageway for these resources, and we’ll continue to do that. So you can always count on me, because I don’t feel like we’re friends, I feel more like we’re family.”

Dean Tsilikas, Government Affairs Director, Hellenic American Leadership Council: “It is my honor to be your master of ceremonies this evening, as we gather here at the Capitol and commemorate the Armenian Genocide. We have a distinguished list of speakers this evening – legislators, diplomats, community leaders, coalition partners – all are here tonight to lend their support in recognizing the atrocities of the Armenian Genocide and to ensure history does not repeat itself in Artsakh.”

Richard Ghazal, In Defense of Christians: “Impunity for the Armenian Genocide has set dangerous precedent and showed the world that it’s OK to destroy entire ethnic and religious groups. There’s been no accountability for these acts, and the absence of consequences encourages greater evil. […] Even today, Turkish President Erdogan refers to Christians as the remnants, the leftovers of the sword. According to him, the Genocide has not yet been completed. We see the Genocide continue even to this day by Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey itself in war crimes against Armenians in Artsakh, and in the form of war crimes by Turkey against Christians in Syria, Iraq, Cyprus and yes, even Christians in Nigeria, where Turkey supplies arms to an ISIS franchise known as Boko Haram.”

Steve Oshana, A Demand for Action: “One thing with Assyrian, Chaldean, Syriacs, Greeks, Armenians, is that we are so inextricably linked, both in our faith and in our suffering. And our suffering is so deeply rooted in our faith that to try to untangle that would be impossible. And so our advocacy together is so important. And I would just like to take a moment to thank the Armenian National Committee of America for being steadfast partners of ours every time when our community has faced struggles. And so what we see now with the legal blockade of Azerbaijan and Artsakh, what we see the aggression of Turkey towards the Kurdish community, towards the Syrians, and towards the Greeks in Cyprus, it’s a constant reminder that the Genocide is, quite frankly, not over. We talk about stopping a second genocide, when in reality, Erdogan and Aliyev are really bent on finishing the job that they started.”

Diliman Abdulkader, president of the American Friends of Kurdistan: “We have to call on Congress, we have to work together, and that’s why I’m proud as American Friends of Kurdistan, I’m proud to stand with the Armenian people today, against genocide, to stop it right now as it’s happening, because if we don’t, Turkey eventually will connect with Azerbaijan and just call it one. There will be just one giant Turkey and that’s their main goal – to revive the Ottoman Empire. These are the facts that we have to pay attention to; these are the facts that we have to acknowledge. Once we acknowledge what’s going on on the ground, we can implement sanctions against Azerbaijan. We can implement sanctions against Turkey. Because as my colleague, Richard [Ghazal] stated, if we do give them weapons, make no mistake, it’ll be used to erase these vulnerable peoples like Armenia and Artsakh.”

Aram Hamparian, executive director, ANCA: “The idea that we can talk our way or trade our way to peace is a fiction. It’s simply not in the cards. Just in the last few days, we saw the surrender, essentially, of even more land in Syunik. The hope, no doubt, behind that surrender is something like, when the Azerbaijanis get what they want, they will reciprocate with peace. The sad answer is they will not. The land that we have, we must hold. The land that they seek, we must defend. There is no alternative.”

Aram Gavoor, National Board Member, Armenian Assembly of America: “Right now, indigenous Armenian populations have been subjected to a consistent campaign of brutalization in Artsakh and within the internationally recognized borders of the Republic of Armenia for many years, but acutely since 2020. […] For Armenians worldwide and in this room, this feels like a second Armenian Genocide is happening. In fact, perhaps a second Armenian Genocide is about to happen. The urgency cannot be more significant than it is right now.”