Month: December 2008

ON ASSIGNMENT: KARSH 100 EXHIBIT AT THE MFA
By Michael Merline

Boston Globe
008/12/on_assignment_karsh_100_exhibi.html
Dec 29 2008
MA

As you enter the "Karsh 100: A Biography in Images" exhibit at the
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, you will see Yousuf Karsh’s photography
equipment, which includes his camera on a tripod, the camera case,
and his hat on the case — as though you are in his studio for a
portrait sitting. And as you stroll through this studio/exhibit,
you will see many of his famous (and infamous) subjects who posed in
front of this very same camera.

Yousuf Karsh was born in Mardin, Armenia, on Dec. 23, 1908 (100 years
ago this month). He arrived in Canada in 1925 and his Uncle George
Nakash, a photographer, was waiting for him in Ottawa. Karsh worked
in his uncle’s studio in the summer of 1926. Shortly after that first
summer in the studio, his uncle arranged for an apprenticeship for
Karsh with fellow Armenian John H. Garo, a portrait photographer
in Boston.

Karsh left Boston in 1931 and returned to Ottawa, where he opened a
photography studio. One of his first portraits was of Franklin Delano
Roosevelt when he visited Canada in 1936. His best known portrait
is Winston Churchill; Karsh photographed him in 1941 when Churchill
visited Ottawa. It is said to be one of the most reproduced photos
in the world.

Photo: Audrey Hepburn / 1956 photo by Yousuf Karsh / Gelatin silver
print Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Photo: Winston Churchill / 1941 photo by Yousuf Karsh / Gelatin silver
print Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

This portrait makes one wonder what Karsh said to the prime minister or
what Churchill was thinking to produce the distinctive arched eyebrow
and frown. In his career, Karsh had 15,312 opportunities (the number
of portrait sittings he recorded) to meet many people and get many
expressions that became permanently recorded for the world to see.

Among the luminaries he photographed were George Bernard Shaw, the
British royal family, Ansel Adams, Albert Einstein, J. Edgar Hoover,
Judy Garland, Helen Keller, US Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger,
and Mother Teresa.

Photo: George Bernard Shaw / Photo by Yousuf Karsh Courtesy of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Other works in the exhibit include commercial photography, placed
against a back wall — almost to signify that Karsh’s success lay
not in his commercial work, but his outstanding portraits.

Karsh retired in 1997 and returned to Boston with his wife
Estrellita. He passed away in 2002. His widow still resides in Boston,
and is involved with philanthropic causes including the MFA, the
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and other charities.

Karsh 100: A Biography in Images Through Monday, Jan. 19 Museum of
Fine Arts Avenue of the Arts 465 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115
617-267-9300

(Sources used for this essay include the Yousuf Karsh website and
this Globe feature story on Estrellita Karsh.)

ITALIAN PRIEST’S ATTACKER SENTENCED IN TURKEY

Reuters
Dec 29 2008
UK

ANKARA (Reuters) – A Turkish court sentenced a man to four years in
prison Monday for stabbing an Italian Catholic priest in 2007 in a
case that has highlighted attacks against Christians in Muslim but
secular Turkey.

A court in the coastal city of Izmir in western Turkey passed the
sentence against Ramazan Bay for stabbing Adriano Franchini, Anatolian
news agency reported. Franchini survived the attack.

Bay told the court he had been influenced by media reports of other
attacks against Christians, including the shooting death of Andrea
Santoro, another Italian Catholic priest, in the Turkish Black Sea
city of Trabzon in 2006.

Turkey’s small Christian community has been targeted in a spate of
attacks over several years, prompting concern among human rights
groups and the European Union, which Ankara hopes to join.

Three Christians, two Turks and a German, had their throats slit by
youths who burst into their Bible publishing house in the southeastern
town of Malatya last year.

Turkish Armenian writer Hrant Dink was also slain last year in Istanbul
by a young nationalist gunman. A prosecutor on Monday indicted a
colonel for failing to provide protection to Dink, who had received
several death threats, Anatolian said.

Christians in Turkey number barely 100,000 in a total population of
nearly 75 million.

ERDOGAN’S LACK OF STATESMANSHIP

The Weekly Standard
FP/2008/12/erdogans_lack_of_statesmanship.asp
Dec 29 2008
Washington, DC

Several days ago, about 200 hundred prominent Turkish intellectuals
launched a first-ever online petition apologizing for the "Great
Catastrophe" in connection with the massacres of up to 1.5 million
Armenians in Turkey during 1915-1917. Titled "I apologize", the brief
statement reads as follows:

"My conscience cannot accept the ignorance and denial of the Great
Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I
reject this injustice and — on my own behalf — I share the feelings
and pain of my Armenian brothers – and I apologize to them."

The authors of the statement, among them Cem Oezdemir, the new leader
of the German Green Party, deliberately opted for the term "Great
Catastrophe" in an effort to stay clear of the ultra-explosive term
"genocide". While genocide scholars widely agree that the killings
of the Armenians constituted the first genocide of the 21st century,
Turkey strongly rejects such accusations to this very day, arguing
instead that those killed were simply the victims of civil war. So far,
about 22,000 people have signed the online petition, not that many
for a country of more than 71 million inhabitants. Several Turkish
nationalist counter-websites with titles such as "I Expect An Armenian
Apology" or "I Do Not Apologize" have already garnered more than five
times as many votes as the initial "I Apologize" petition.

Turkey’s top leadership, too, has begun a strong push-back to
counter the apology campaign. The powerful army, for instance,
has warned ominously that the petition could "bring about harmful
results". Finally, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan came up with his
own rationale for why he opposes the online petition, saying that
"I did not commit any crimes, so why should I apologize?". As
a private individual, for sure, Mr. Erdogan was not involved in
any of the Armenian massacres. But coming from a Turkish statesman
eager to join the European Union, Erdogan’s statement and cavalier
attitude regarding a very dark chapter in Turkish history is simply
not acceptable in the 21st century.

In contrast to Erdogan’s remark, I am reminded of how then-German
Chancellor Helmut Kohl dealt with the issues of personal guilt and
collective moral and political responsibility in his historic January
1984 speech to the Knesset in Israel. He said: "I speak to you as
someone who could not get caught up in guilt during the Nazi period
because he had the grace of a late birth." At the same time, however,
Helmut Kohl (born in 1930) never left any doubt that as the German
Chancellor, he was willing to assume collective moral and political
responsibility for the atrocities perpetrated by Nazi Germany during
the 1933-1945 period. Prime Minister Erdogan’s stubborn refusal to
assume collective moral and political responsibility for the "Great
Catastrophe" displays a lack of statesmanship and casts a long shadow
on Turkey’s aspirations of joining the European Union any time soon.

BABACAN: "THE APOLOGY CAMPAIGN COULD HARM TURKEY’S EU BID"

Turkish Press
Dec 29 2008

Press Review

Speaking about the initiative to issue an apology for World War I-era
killings of Armenians at the hands of the Ottomans, Foreign Minister
Ali Babacan over the weekend said that Turkey has freedom of speech
and that he cannot stand against this liberty. He added, however,
that the campaign, conducted in the midst of Turkey’s European Union
negotiation process, could weaken Ankara’s hand and even harm the
process.

TARKAN: I HAVE NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OF JOINING ARMENIAN APOLOGY CAMPAIGN

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 29 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Ulkar Gasimova – APA. "I did not know that I was named in
Armenian apology campaign in Turkey.

Someone joined this campaign using my name. After that I wanted to
speak about it," Turkish megastar Tarkan told APA in Heydar Aliyev
International Airport.

Tarkan said he was in Vienna when someone joined the apology campaign
and added that he had never even thought of joining such a campaign.

Megastar also said that he was glad when the website carrying out
Armenian apology campaign was closed.

RUSSIA PLAYS POSITIVE ROLE IN ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: FIRST DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

Trend News Agency
Dec 29 2008
Azerbaijan

Russia, Moscow, Dec. 29 /corr. Trend News R.Agayev / The outgoing
year, especially its end, was marked with positive steps in the
Armenian-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, the First
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Andrey Denisov, said on Dec. 29
in Moscow, answering the question of TrendNews correspondent.

He said that Russia is equally interested both in the friendly
relations with Azerbaijan and in the same friendly relations with
Armenia.

"Completely sincerely Russia attempts to do everything depending on
it so that these two countries would find a solution satisfying them,
overcoming difficult, heavy and unhealthy conflict, in particular
for Azerbaijan," said Denisov.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE COMPELLING CASE OF TURKEY’S CONSTITUTION
Liam Hardy

World Press Review

Dec 29 2008

Washington, DC – Turkish foreign minister and chief negotiator for
the EU Ali Babacan, speaking at a NATO foreign ministers meeting
recently, mentioned that the Turkish Constitution as it stands now
will not help Turkey move forward with its reform agenda.

This resonates with a statement in September by the EU Commissioner
for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, that constitutional reform would greatly
accelerate Turkey’s EU accession process and could "break the cycle"
of political crises in the country – such as last year’s presidential
election crisis and this year’s Constitutional Court case to disband
the ruling political party.

Although debate over changing the constitution has waned immensely
over the past year, Babacan has rightly called attention to an issue
that has important implications for Turkey. The current constitution,
which was implemented under Turkish military rule in 1982, has caused
some serious headaches. Many elements within Turkey argue that the
current constitution limits basic rights and freedoms, including the
freedom of speech, religious expression and association.

Both for internal steadiness as well as greater EU compatibility,
debate has focused in the past on creating a new constitution that
functions more democratically and better ensures the rights and
freedoms of all Turkish citizens. A renewed energy must emerge from
Turkey’s political parties and civil society for action to take place
anytime soon. However, recent history and the government’s current
workload also make this a challenging task.

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), made an effort to
draft a new constitution after the 2007 elections, but the party made
some serious missteps. They attempted to create a draft in secrecy
without involving other political parties or institutions. The draft
was then leaked to the press.

Soon thereafter, the constitutional amendments to allow headscarves in
universities and the trial charging the AKP for violating secularism
created a major distraction.

Meanwhile, other events have taken centre stage: increased violence
from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the Russia-Georgia conflict,
renewed ties with Armenia, mediation between Syria and Israel, the
global economic crisis and the scandal surrounding the clandestine
group Ergenekon, which some allege was plotting a coup and others
believe was an excuse used by the government to arrest its critics.

As a result, debate over a new constitution has been left sitting on
the shelf.

More conservative Turks have argued that the current constitution
has been amended so frequently (79 articles have been changed and 13
amendments added in 26 years), that only some additional amendments
would be necessary. Others, particularly in academia and civil society,
insist that a Constitutional Convention should be called and a complete
revision generated, claiming that the spirit of the document needs
to be renewed.

A new draft would most likely strengthen the parliamentary system,
reduce powers of the presidency, reform the judicial process and
clearly define individual freedoms.

An attempt to renew Turkey’s constitution could be as daunting, and
perhaps as dangerous, as open-heart surgery. However, many sectors
of society have been calling for change, claiming that Turkey
has progressed far beyond its days of military rule and that its
constitution must reflect this.

Yet, convincing political leaders that such reforms are necessary
sooner rather than later, and sustaining the political will to
carry them out, will be challenging. Still stinging from the
embarrassment of the recent attempts to change the constitution,
those in power are unlikely to risk taking up this issue again in the
near future. Additionally, there are many regional issues involving
Turkey that will keep the government occupied.

However, judging from the comments of Foreign Minister Babacan and
other leaders, addressing challenges and moving ahead with reforms
must be done within a solid constitutional framework, and a renewed
and vibrant debate over the constitution would be healthy for Turkey’s
future.

VASILIY ISTRATOV: "RUSSIA AND AZERBAIJAN ARE NOT RIVALS" – INTERVIEW PHOTOSESSION

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 29 2008
Azerbaijan

Lachin Sultanova -APA. Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy
Istratov interviews with APA.

-How do you value last year from the view of Azerbaijan-Russian
relations? How the change of head of state in Russia influence on
these relations?

-I would like to underline with great pleasure that the positive
dynamic of the Russian-Azerbaijan relations is continued in all
directions. Earlier I said that our goal was to celebrate Russian Year
in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani Year in Russia. My worlds are realized
now and our cooperation is developing actively and very usefully
in all directions. The political dialogue is held permanently and
heads of states are meeting almost every month in the different
formats. Regarding the last tendencies since election of Dmitriy
Medvedev, I can say that he continues the course of strengthening
of cooperation with Azerbaijan. This tendency started eight years
ago and became stronger year by year. Two months later after his
election, Dmitriy Medvedev paid official visit to Azerbaijan, which
is very important fact characterizing the relations between our
countries. Opening of Baku branch of the Moscow State University can
be an example of development of our relations. Two and half years ago,
when I arrived in Azerbaijan, one of the main problems was closing of
the branches of Russian education centers. We achieved normal solution
to this problem and closed only waxwork (not real) branches and made
so serious step to open the Moscow State University’s branch. Such
decision demands very high cooperation. Over the past few months,
I visited the concerts of Russian world-known artists, which is very
good state.

– Volume of the trade turnover between the two countries increased
for two times. How do you see prospects of economic cooperation?

– We are neighbor countries, whose economies complete each other
and we are doing mutual trade. There is well-organized Azerbaijani
Diaspora in Russia. All these circumstances enable us to provide
goods exchange. Both Russia and Azerbaijan have a stable developing
economy. The strong economy increases welfare of populations on
two sides of the borders and intensifies the bilateral trade. The
presidents urged to level the goods turnover up to 2 billion USD. We
reached this figure before the yearend and there was no need to make
special efforts. The main task of the countries to achieve this goal
was not to prevent each other and to let the trade to develop of its
own accord. Regarding the results of the year, growth was observed
in all directions, but there are specific elements of the trade
relations. Azerbaijan is an exporter of energy resources and its trade
balance is always positive. Until recent years it was so in Russia
too, but now the balance of Russia and Azerbaijan is negative. The
energy resources don’t play important role in the trade between our
countries in the past two years, but the volume of trade turnover is
increasing. Russia exports to Azerbaijan vehicles and equipments,
fertilizers and corn and Azerbaijan exports to Russia agricultural
products. The trade balance is in favor of Russia because these
goods are very cheap. So far everything is going within the mutual
consent and I am sure that it will be continued further. Of course,
there are resources can be used further. We should expect for the
impact of world financial crisis on our trade relations. There are
two ways out from the situation expected in future: to worsen the
situation or to find additional resources. We have common interests
in a number of spheres. There is a tendency which attracted attention
recently. The countries with energy resources are more interesting
during the crisis than in the period of economic activeness. Our
countries are cooperating with each other and with OPEC as well to
determine fair oil price. Our countries are not rivals, they are
allies from the view of energy resources.

-What can you say about Gazprom’s buying Azerbaijan’s gas?

– Gazprom and SOCAR are holding the negotiations on this
issue. Azerbaijan stated several times that Gazprom’s proposal
was being discussed. The decision will be passed in terms of
maximum commercial profit. Gazprom wants to pay European price minus
transit tariff for Azeri gas at the border. Azerbaijan has also other
proposals. But one of the points at the advantage of Russia’s proposal
is the existence of gas pipeline in Russia. Other directions require
construction of additional pipelines.

-There is an opinion that Russia is against Nabucco project, but if
Azerbaijan participates in this project only as a transit country,
Russia will not object. Is this really Russia’s position?

-Such a position is possible. Two factors are necessary for Nabucco’s
operation: pipeline and gas resources. There is no pipeline yet,
and where gas resources will be bought from remains undecided. New
deposits and construction of pipe require funds. It is not known where
the funds and gas will be obtained from. As regards the transit,
this is a very serious issue. Theoretically this pipeline may come
from three directions – north, south and east. There is no need to
transport Russian gas through this pipeline, there are pipelines from
our country to Europe and new ones are being constructed. It is not
clear why Iran should deliver gas to Europe through Azerbaijan. Why
should Turkmenistan be interested in the construction of this
pipeline? All these issues are of strategic character and they have
no final reply. That’s why it will be possible to say whether Russia
objects to this project or supports it, after all algorithm of Nabucco
project is made clear. Where is the gas, the pipe, who allocates
funds, who buys and other questions should have answers. Nabucco
concept was prepared in the economic and political condition different
from the present and the situation has changed now. Impact of these
changes on Nabucco depends on its authors and their corrections to
the project. Now it is difficult to find funds for the development
of new deposits and construction of big pipelines. Maybe the amount
will be found, but now we do not know the answers to these questions.

-Early this year Azerbaijani and Russian officials said delimitation
of state borders would be completed this year. Why it did not happen?

-At the beginning of the year we thought that the issue would be
solved. But all the issues should be viewed altogether and it does not
include only border line. Understanding has been reached on 99 percent
of the border line, but there are other related issues. For example,
delimitation of Samur river. This is a very serious issue. The USSR
left two formally contradicting issues for us. On the one hand, almost
100 percent of the Samur river collects in the territory of Russia, on
the other hand most of this water meets the needs of Baku and Sumgayit
for about 50 years. This is the contradiction. Both sides understand
that there should be a balance between the collection and usage of
water. It is not yet known when it will be achieved. Of course, the
sides have their own positions and neither of them wants to damage its
position while making decision. I can say that compromising variant
is being discussed. Water is a vitally important resource. Maybe
water shortage will be felt more than shortage of oil and gas in
future. Both sides want to solve this problem.

-Has the problem of the Russians living in Khrakhoba and Uryanoba
villages of Khachmaz been solved?

This issue is of judicial and humanitarian character. It is difficult
in terms of judicial character. These people live there for tens
of years. It is difficult to solve their judicial problems. It is
one more problem inherited from USSR. There was not any problem in
composition of common state. Then problems created. The issue should
be solved without causing danger to people.

-Azerbaijan proposes citizenship to these people. Why do not they
want to receive it?

-There are various versions. This issue is enough difficult. The
positive fact is that nobody tries to solve the problem with strict
methods immediately.

-Russia and the US conduct negotiations on missile defense system
. Do these negotiations cover joint usage of Gabala radar?

-Russia has not taken back proposal presented to the US
officially. These proposals are on the table of negotiations.

-Co-Chairs urged parties to accelerate coordination of core
principles on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in their
last statement. Is it real?

-As Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan I am not engaged in Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. There are other institutions in Russian Foreign
Ministry for it. There are proposals on the table of negotiations. They
should be mutually coordinated. Co-Chairs actively function and there
are various formats for negotiations of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Turkey
organizes a meeting within any format and Russia within other
format. Co-Chairs supported Moscow meeting and stated that the meeting
supplemented their initiatives. It is real. All formats supplement
each other and they should not be confronted. There is progress on
the process of settlement. Positive dynamics should be continued
after Moscow meeting.

PRESS RELEASE
December 28, 2008
Contact: Linda Yepoyan
Phone: 610-642-6633
[email protected]

BIRTHRIG HT ARMENIA UNVEILS WEBSITE REDESIGN

Interested in comprehensive information on volunteer opportunities in
Armenia at the touch of a button, even better organized than before and with
ease of navigation? Visitors to are being offered
just that. Birthright Armenia is launching its newly redesigned and much
improved website just in time for the holiday break, when most young adults
interested in trips to Armenia are dedicating research to the many spring,
summer and next fall attractive volunteer opportunities available to them.
The new site equally provides services to and actively reaches out to its
program alumni to keep their post-program interests and level of engagement
high. There is something for everyone.

Return visitors will enjoy the new modern features as part of the site’s
upgrade. First time visitors will benefit from comprehensive information
about Birthright Armenia and the sponsored organizations that implement
youth-oriented programs in Armenia, including program descriptions,
eligibility criteria for a travel fellowship, applications and how it all
works. The site serves as a quick and simple one-stop shop for those
seeking possibilities for internships and volunteerism in Armenia, twelve
months of the year.

For the 350 alums whose trips to Armenia were already Birthright sponsored,
there is information on community events, a place to share information with
their fellow alums and view job postings if they are interested in returning
to Armenia to work. Alums will also be serving as advisors for prospective
volunteers, who can search and submit inquiries to alums via the website
regarding their job placements, homestay families and more.

Key documents on the site are posted in four languages, noted by
international flags, and work is already underway to have the entire site
translated into Spanish, French, and Armenian by this spring.

Another attractive feature of the site is the popular Depi Hayk Language
Tutorial, which aims to provide basic Eastern Armenian language proficiency
through 12 multi-media language courses. It was designed for those
interested in getting the basics of the Armenian language under their belt.
Getting started on the coursework via this free online program only requires
a quick and easy registration.

Sevan Kabakian, Country Director for Birthright Armenia/Depi Hayk, managed
the web site upgrade. "It’s a classy site for a first-class organization.
Just like the program, the site is designed to be inspirational to those who
are pondering volunteerism in Armenia. With its volunteer testimonials,
description of program elements and colorful bulletin board, we are rolling
out a site that will clearly give our visitors an easy time understanding
what Birthright Armenia is all about, and what is has to offer our youth."

Birthright Armenia’s mission is to strengthen ties between the homeland and
diasporan youth by affording them an opportunity to be a part of Armenia’s
daily life and to contribute to Armenia’s development through work, study
and volunteer experiences, while developing a renewed sense of Armenian
identity. For more information, or to make an online donation, please visit
our web site at <;.

PRESS RELEASE
December 29, 2008
Armenian National Committee of Merrimack Valley
142 Liberty Street, Lowell, MA 01851
Contact: Pearl Teague
Email: [email protected]

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF MERRIMACK VALLEY MEETS WITH
REPRESENTATIVE NIKI TSONGAS

Lowell, MA- Armenian National Committee of Merrimack Valley (ANC
MV) activists earlier this month met with Congresswoman Niki
Tsongas (D-MA-5) to discuss issues of concern to the Armenian
American community, including Armenian Genocide recognition and
Nagorno Karabagh self-determination.

During the meeting, past ANC MV chairmen Joe Dagdigian and Stepan
Dulgarian explained the history of Nagorno Karabagh and the
continuous human rights violations committed by the Azeri
government. ANC MV chairwoman Pearl Teague encouraged Tsongas to
take more decisive action on this issue and support appropriate aid
and other economic and political policies regarding self-
determination for the people of Nagorno Karabagh.

Activist John Dagdigian shared his views regarding genocide
recognition and Stepan Dulgarian also shared his family’s personal
experience. Tsongas who had co-sponsored H. Res. 106, the
Armenian Genocide resolution, shortly after being sworn in to the
110th Congress in October 2007, expressed her commitment to this
issue and the importance of its recognition. "The mass murders
committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians was
genocide," said Tsongas. "Other countries have acknowledged dark
chapters in their past and it is time for Turkey to do the same.
The Armenians and the descendants of those who were victimized
deserve justice." The ANC MV also provided materials to the
representative as well as encouraged her to take a leadership role
during the 111th Congress on important Armenian issues.

"We are grateful to have Congresswoman Tsongas serving the 5th
Congressional district of Massachusetts. Several Armenian
Americans reside in the district and our community looks forward to
working with her in the upcoming Congress."

Rep. Tsongas earned her bachelors degree from Smith College and she
has a law degree from Boston University. While in college, she
spent a summer in Washington, D.C. where she met her future
husband, former Fifth District Congressman, U.S. Senator, and
democratic presidential candidate, the late Paul Tsongas.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the
concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.
####
Photo Caption: Left to Right – ANC activists John Dagdigian, Stepan
Dulgarian, ANC MV Chairwoman Pearl Teague, Rep. Niki Tsongas, and
Joe Dagdigian.