December 13, 2008
Armenian Rights Council of America, Western Region
1901 N. Allen Ave.
Altadena, CA 91001
Contact: Mr. Ara Aharonian
Tel: 626-296-2921
Fax: 626-296-2922
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Argentine-Armenian Legislator Sergio Nahabetian Pays Homage at the
Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument in Montebello, California
ALTADENA, CA ` On Saturday afternoon November 22, 2008, the Armenian
Rights Council of America (ARCA), Western Region organized a solemn
ceremony at the Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument at Bicknell Park in
Montebello, on the occasion of Argentine-Armenian legislator Sergio
Nahabetian’s official visit to California.
Accompanied by his gracious wife Susanna, the lone member Argentina’s
Chamber of Deputies (or Camara) of Armenian descent and representative
of the Province of Buenos Aires, the Honorable Sergio Nahabetian,
visited the Golden State in late November upon the official invitation
of outgoing State Senator Jack Scott, who represents the 21st Senate
District of California. During their week-long sojourn, the
Nahabetians held meetings with state and local public officials, and
visited a number of Armenian day schools throughout Southern California.
In addition, they were kindly hosted by various California-based
Armenian institutions, ranging from the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church of North America to the Armenia Fund U.S. Western
Region. During this year’s annual Thanksgiving Day Armenia Fund
international telethon, Mr. Nahabetian was afforded the privilege of
appearing live on television to appeal to viewers to donate generously
to the Armenia Fund, which incidentally raised a record-breaking $35
million for humanitarian and infrastructure development initiatives in
the Republic of Armenia (RA) and in Artsakh.
The solemn vigil at the Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument in
Montebello, California commenced with a wreath-laying ceremony
involving the Honorable Sergio Nahabetian, newly-appointed RA Minister
for Diaspora Affairs, the Honorable Hranush Hakobyan, and the State
Assembly member representing the 44th Assembly District of California,
the Honorable Anthony Portantino. After the American, Argentinian and
Armenian national anthems were presented, Mistress of Ceremonies Rita
Aharonian and Master of Ceremonies Carl Bardakian welcomed all in
attendance, in Armenian and in English respectively. During her
remarks, Mistress of Ceremonies Rita Aharonian acknowledged the
presence of the following elected officials and dignitaries in
attendance: Representing the Primate of the Western Diocese of the
Armenian Church, His Eminence Abp. Hovnan Derderian, was the Vicar
General of the Western Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Yardemian; Pastor
of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church of Pasadena,
Very Rev. Fr. Baret Yeretzian; Pastor of St. Gregory Armenian Catholic
Church of Glendale, Rev. Fr. Antoine Saroyan; Pastor of St. Nareg
Armenian Congregational Church of Whittier, Rev. Sarkis Karaminassian;
Member of Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies, the Honorable and
Mrs. Sergio and Susanna Nahabetian; RA Minister for Diaspora Affairs,
the Honorable Hranush Hakobyan; RA Consul General in Los Angeles, the
Honorable Armen Liloyan; representing the 21st Senate District of the
State of California, the Honorable Jack Scott; representing the 44th
Assembly District of the State of California, the Honorable Anthony
Portantino; the Mayor of Montebello, the Honorable William
M. Molinari; the City Clerk of Glendale, the Honorable Ardashes
Kassakhian; RA Consul in Los Angeles, Mr. Mesrob Shaloyan; RA Ministry
for Diaspora Affairs Press Secretary, Mr. Tigran Harutiunyan; ADL
Central Committee Assistant Secretary Ara Aharonian; ADL Western
Region Chairman Hagop Nazerian; AGBU Southern California District
Committee Chairman Vahe Imasdounian, as well as lay leaders
representing Armenian political, benevolent, cultural and educational
institutions throughout Southern California.
During his opening remarks, Master of Ceremonies Carl Bardakian
provided an appropriate and important correlation between Saturday’s
solemn ceremony and a similar vigil which occurred 40 years ago when
His Holiness Vasken I of Blessed Memory, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, based in Holy Etchmiadzin, visited the
Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument in Montebello on May 18, 1968 and
delivered the following remarkable statement:
`My dear people, we consider it to be our sacred duty to express our
gratitude in your name and in the name of the entire Armenian
community of America and the Armenian Church to the Honorable Mayor of
Montebello and to the representatives of the American government who
cooperated with you and supported you in your noble project, making
the erection of this monument possible on the hospitable soil of
America. We will gladly carry with us to Holy Etchmiadzin the key of
the city of Montebello which the Honorable Mayor gave us as a gift,
and place it among the treasures of our Cathedral, so that it will
enjoy the blessings of Holy Etchmiadzin. And we shall always be
praying for peace in this great America as well as for the peace,
prosperity and happiness of the city of Montebello.’
Mr. Bardakian then invited one of the founding members and President
of the Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument Council, Mr. Michael
Minasian, who welcomed the honorary guests to the Armenian Martyrs
Memorial in Montebello and provided a brief history of the
conceptualization, construction and present-day status of the only
monument dedicated to the Armenian Genocide yet built on public land
in the United States.
Mr. Bardakian then invited RA Minister for Diaspora Affairs, the
Honorable Hranush Hakobyan, to the podium. Fresh from a visit to
Armenian communities throughout South America, including Argentina,
Minister Hakobyan first thanked the ARCA Western Region board for
inviting her to attend the solemn ceremony. Further, she emphasized
the necessity of continuing efforts throughout the Armenian Diaspora
to educate public officials and the mainstream media about the history
and veracity of the Armenian Genocide. Moreover, Minister Hakobyan
acknowledged the successful work of elected officials in attendance,
including Argentine legislator Sergio Nahabetian, California State
Senator Jack Scott and California State Assemblyman Anthony
Portantino, among others, in their distinct yet like-minded quests to
introduce, advocate and ratify legislation reaffirming the Armenian
Genocide.
Next to speak were California State Senator Jack Scott and California
State Assembly Member Anthony Portantino. Both expressed their
gratitude to the ARCA Western Region board for the invitation to
attend and address the audience at the solemn ceremony in Bicknell
Park. Both officials affirmed their long-time friendship with the
Armenian community, reminded the audience about their unforgettable
visits to Armenia, and pledged to continue to raise awareness of the
Armenian Genocide both in Sacramento and in their respective
districts. Finally, Senator Scott and Assemblyman Portantino paid
tribute to the significant work of Argentine legislator Sergio
Nahabetian by presenting him with a joint California State Senate and
State Assembly Resolution on the occasion of Mr. Nahabetian’s historic
visit to California.
Ms. Aharonian followed by providing a brief biography of the honored
guest and keynote speaker, Mr. Sergio Nahabetian, and invited the
latter to the podium. On behalf of the Camara of the Province of
Buenos Aires, Mr. Nahabetian expressed his appreciation to California
State Senator Jack Scott for spearheading the effort, on behalf of the
California State Legislature, to officially invite him and
Mrs. Nahabetian to visit the Golden State. As the current Chairman of
the National Assembly of Argentina’s opposition RECREAR (or Rebirth)
Party, and as Chairman of the Provincial Executive Board of the
RECREAR party, Mr. Nahabetian provided an overview of the political
and economic situation in Argentina, in general, and in the province
and city of Buenos Aires, in particular. Further, he presented a
summary about the Armenian community in Argentina, which is highly
respected and much loved by the majority of fellow Argentinians. With
80% of the Armenian population living in the city of Buenos Aires, the
community gains spiritual sustenance via three religious
denominations, namely the Armenian Apostolic Church (subordinate to
Etchmiadzin), the Armenian Catholic Church, and the Armenian
Protestant Church. Moreover, the Armenian community is fortunate of
having seven day schools, several Armenian-language weekly newspapers,
and a number of cultural, theatrical and artistic
institutions. Mr. Nahabetian praised the Argentine-Armenian
community’s united effort in pursuit of Argentina’s official
recognition of the Armenian Genocide on the federal (on January 15,
2007 it became the law in Argentina), provincial (on June 15, 2006 in
the Province of Buenos Aires Legislature, and on September 6, 2006 in
the Province of Cordoba Legislature), and municipal (City of Buenos
Aires) levels. Striving for the noble goal of achieving justice,
Mr. Nahabetian pledged to continue efforts to educate the masses and
fellow legislators in Latin America, via new publications and the
media, about the Armenian Genocide. Mr. Nahabetian also appealed to
the audience to focus on the economic development and national
security of the Republic of Armenia by working closely with the newly
established Ministry for Diaspora Affairs. Finally, on behalf of the
Camara of the Province of Buenos Aires, Mr. Nahabetian presented gifts
to California State Senator Jack Scott, California State Assemblyman
Anthony Portantino, and to the Mayor of Montebello, William Molinari,
for their service and dedication in strengthening Argentine-American
relations.
Mr. Bardakian thanked Mr. Nahabetian for his inspiring call to action,
and stressed how blessed Armenians ought to be for having such an
exemplary yet modest steward of the Armenian nation as Mr. Sergio
Nahabetian. Mr. Bardakian next invited Ms. Tamar Poladian, Esq. to
address the audience on behalf of the Armenian Rights Council of
America, Western Region. By way of background, Ms. Poladian provided
an outline of local, state-wide and national initiatives for the
Armenian Cause pursued by the ARCA Western Region over the past five
years, and pledged to continue to work robustly for the reaffirmation
of the Armenian Genocide by the Obama Administration and the 111th
United States Congress.
The hour-long public ceremony was followed by a solemn requiem service
before the Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument, lead by the Vicar
General of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, Very
Rev. Fr. Dajad Yardemian.