Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
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PRESS RELEASE
June 21, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
NJ RECOGNIZES AND REMEMBERS THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
General Assembly Unanimously Passes Resolution, Commission on
Holocaust Education Approves Armenian Genocide Curriculum
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America today commended the
state of New Jersey for its dual efforts in recognizing and raising
awareness of the Armenian Genocide. In Trenton, the General Assembly
voted 79 to 0 yesterday to approve a joint resolution commemorating
the 90th anniversary of genocide, while the state-appointed education
commission announced a comprehensive curriculum on the Armenian
Genocide.
The resolution, which was sponsored by State Assembly members Joan
Voss (D-38) and Robert Gordon (D-38), honors the memory of the 1.5
million Armenians who were killed by the Ottoman Turks. It states in
part, “This joint resolution recognizes the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide and acknowledges the criminal mistreatment of the
Armenians by the governments of the Ottoman Empire as an issue of
international and historic significance.” [See attached text]
During Voss’ powerful remarks, she expressed the gravity of the crime
of genocide and said, “Man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds.”
Additional speakers included Assemblyman Gordon, William Payne (D-29),
Bill Baroni (R-14) and former Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian.
“We commend Assembly Members Voss and Gordon for championing this bill
and thank all 79 Members of the State Assembly for their support,”
said Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian. “Remembrance and
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide is especially critical given
Turkey’s ongoing denial and revisionism.”
The Assembly also commended New Jersey public officials for the
state’s pioneering role in human rights education that since 1982 that
has now led to the inclusion of Armenian Genocide studies as part of
the statewide curriculum. The action, announced yesterday by the New
Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education (NJCHE) marks the first time
in the United States that a stand-alone curriculum on the Armenian
Genocide will be incorporated in public and private schools.
The Assembly, together with the Armenian National Institute, initiated
and proposed the new curriculum to then governor James McGreevey who
convened a meeting of Armenian-American community leaders in late
2003. Following the meeting with the governor, NJCHE Chair Dr. Paul
Winkler assembled a committee of educators and specialists to draft a
new curriculum.
The new curriculum consists of the resource book on the Armenian
Genocide developed by the Facing History and Ourselves Foundation
(FHAO) entitled “Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: the
Genocide of the Armenians,” which will be distributed to middle and
high schools throughout New Jersey, along with a guide to teachers
prepared by the N.J. Commission on Holocaust Education.
The guide was prepared by the Commission in cooperation with the
Armenian National Institute.
Hovnanian said that New Jersey is widely recognized as an educational
leader in designing and implementing “best practices” instructional
tools and said the Assembly looks forward to promoting the adoption of
this curriculum in other states as well.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership
organization.
NR#2005-069
Photographs available on the Assembly Web site at the following links:
CAPTION: Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny with New
Jersey State Assembly Member Joan Voss (D-38) in Trenton, N.J. on June
20.
CAPTION: L to R: Armenian National Institute Director Dr. Rouben
Adalian, N.J. Commission on Holocaust Education Executive Director
Dr. Paul Winkler and Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny.
CAPTION: Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny with
former New Jersey State Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian. Haytaian was
separately recognized yesterday by the current Assembly Speaker for
his years of public service.
Editor’s Note: Attached is the full text of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution that was passed by the New Jersey State Assembly on June
20.
ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION
No. 125
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
211th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED MAY 5, 2005
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman JOAN VOSS
District 38 (Bergen)
Assemblyman ROBERT GORDON
District 38 (Bergen)
AJR125
1. A JOINT RESOLUTION recognizing the 90th anniversary of the
2. Armenian Genocide.
3
4. WHEREAS, From 1915 to 1923, 1.5 million Armenian people were
5. systematically persecuted and executed by the governments of the
6. Ottoman Empire in the first genocide of the twentieth century; and
7. WHEREAS, The genocide began on the night of April 24, 1915, when
8. the Turkish government arrested more than 200 Armenian
9.community leaders in Constantinople and hundreds more soon after;
10. and
11. WHEREAS, Most of the prominent public figures of the Armenian
12. community were summarily executed; and
13. WHEREAS, The Armenian people were then systematically subject to
14. deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre and
15. starvation; and
16. WHEREAS, Hundreds of thousands of Armenian men, women and
17. children were forcibly removed from their homes and deported to
18. the Syrian desert, where the majority of the deportees died of
19. dehydration and starvation; and
20. WHEREAS, It is estimated that by 1918, approximately one million
21. people had perished, while hundreds of thousands had become
22. homeless and stateless refugees; and
23. WHEREAS, By 1923, the entire landmass of Asia Minor and historic
24. West Armenia had been expunged of its Armenian population; now
25. therefore,
26
27. BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State
28. of New Jersey:
29
30. 1. This joint resolution recognizes the 90th anniversary of the
31. Armenian Genocide and acknowledges the criminal mistreatment of
32. the Armenians by the governments of the Ottoman Empire as an issue
33. of international and historic significance.
34
35. 2. The Governor and the Legislature shall call upon the citizens of
36. the State of New Jersey to recognize the 90th anniversary of the
37. Armenian Genocide and honor the memory of the 1.5 million people
38. who died as a result.
39
40. 3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
41
42
43. STATEMENT
44
45. This joint resolution recognizes the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide by the governments of the Ottoman Empire. The
Governor and the Legislature shall call upon the citizens of New
Jersey to recognize the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
and to remember those who died as a result.