Month: April 2010

ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY, INC.
Central Office
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472

Tel: 617-926-5892
Fax: 617-926-4855
E-Mail: [email protected]

ARS Bestows its "Ararat" Award on Near East Foundation

The program of the ARS Centennial – celebrated on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
in New York City – included the granting of the ARS "Ararat" Award of
Excellence to the Near East Foundation (formerly – Near East Relief) which
was founded 95 years ago, in response to the unprecedented human tragedy
that unfolded in the Near East following the Armenian Genocide. Indeed, it
was, in large part, due to the enormous moral and financial input of the
Near East Relief, that thousands of Armenian orphans and refugees were saved
from certain annihilation in the aftermath of the first genocide of the
20-th century.

In 2003, seven years before its Centenary, the ARS initiated its "Ararat"
Award of Excellence, whose first recipient was Atom Egoyan, the
Canadian-Armenian filmmaker of world renown, whose film of the same name,
"Ararat", exposed to the whole world the horrendous traumatic scars that the
Genocide had left on the mental and spiritual well being of the
post-Genocide Armenian generations.

Four years later, in 2007, Vice-Speaker of Britain’s House of Lords, Lady
Caroline Cox received the "Ararat" Award for loyal support and continuing
assistance to the Armenians of the Nagorno Karabakh enclave during and after
their long struggle for freedom from Azeri oppression. In 1993, the Baroness
had published a book titled "Ethnic Cleansing in Progress: War in Nagorno
Karabagh", exposing the genocidal policies of the Azeri governments
implemented against the Armenian population of Artsakh.

"As these three recipients of the ARS "Ararat" Award demonstrate, only
exceptional personalities and organizations – whose benevolent and
humanitarian stance transcends mere rhetoric by translating into concrete
action in support of the Armenian people’s struggle for progress and a
bright future – are considered worthy of this unique Award of Excellence.
Based on this lofty level, the ARS has not made this an annual award,
preferring to hold it for rewarding exceptional acts realized in times of
crises, demanding a special kind of humanitarian commitment on the part of
principled individuals or societies,"- declared Mrs. Vera Tavitian of the
ARS Central Executive Board. "In this year of the 95-th Commemoration of the
Genocide, the ARS wished to grant its "Ararat" Award to a deserving
recipient, such as the Near East Relief, whose caring heart and charitable
hand, extended at a critical time, helped the survival of 130,000
tragedy-struck Armenian children,"- concluded Mrs. Tavitian.

The Near East Relief was created in 1915 in response to an alarming cable
from American Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau to the U.S.
Secretary of State stating that the Turkish "destruction of the Armenian
race is progressing rapidly". In 1919 the committee was chartered by
Congress and designated the primary channel for U.S. postwar aid to the Near
East.

Today, its successor, The Near East Foundation, continues its humanitarian
work in the Near East and in Armenia. To see a film on the organization’s
activities – or to read the text of its President, Mr. Shant Mardirossian’s
speech delivered during the ARS Centennial celebration – visit the ARS
website at

TCA Arshag Dickranian Armenian School
1200 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Tel: 323-461-4377
Fax: 323-323-461-4247
Contact: [email protected]

TCA Arshag Dickranian School Scores High in the KAHAM Games

Los Angeles, March 30, 2010 – TCA Arshag Dickranian School’s athletes
attained impressive scores in the 2009 – 2010 KAHAM Tournament with their
compelling performance in table tennis, track and field, basketball and
soccer. The participants’ performance was a reflection of their developed
athletic skills, their team spirit and their love for sports. Once again,
the Dickranians proved that their effort and training paid off.

`This year, our students proved that they have come a long way and I am
proud of them.’ said Mr. Rudolph Rameh, the Athletic Director at Arshag
Dickranian School. `I would also like to thank The Athletic Committee for
the moral support they give the athletes besides providing their logistics
and transportation. We couldn’t have done this without them.’

The Dickranians participated in the KAHAM Games for their fourth year.
Their achievement deserves special praise for competing with schools whose
student bodies are more than that of Arshag Dickranian School.

For the Table Tennis Tournament which took place on November 14, 2009,
Hakob Kiramidzhyan won 1st place in the 8th graders’ competition for boys.
Khachik Bogosyan won 2nd place for the 7th graders’ competition for boys,
while Jeerire Manokian and Zaven Nalbandjian both won 3rd place. For the
4th graders’ competition for boys, Alec Kourouyan and Armen Dayan won 2nd
and 3rd place respectively.

For the Track and Field Tournament that took place on Sunday, November 15,
2009, Khachik Bogosyan and Sarkis Shishikyan won 2nd and 3rd place
respectively in the 1500 Meters Match. Diana Petrosian, Anais Nahapetyan,
Silvia Grigorian and Mariam Mgdsyan won 3rd place for the 7th graders’
4×100 Relay Match for girls. Hampik Goradtchyan won 1st place and Armen
Dayan won 2nd place in the Soft Shotput Match; Zohrab Shamlyan won 1st
place in the Iron Shotput of the 5th graders’ competition for boys,
whereas Hovik Mkryan won 2nd place in the 6th graders’ Iron Shotput Match.
Vartuhi Khanjarian won 1st place in the Standing Long Jump Match of the
2nd graders, Khachik Bogosyan won 3rd place in the 7th graders’ Long Jump
Match for boys, while Diana Petrossian won 3rd place for the 7th grader
Long Jump Match for girls.

The 6th and 7th graders won 3rd place in an intense basketball match for
boys on March 14, 2010, whereas the 6th, 7th and 8th graders won 1st place
in the Boys’ Soccer Match on March 21, 2010.

`Parents showed a high sense of commitment this year which we appreciate,’
said school Principal Vartkes Kourouyan. `Our students played really well
and hopefully we will see further improvement next year.’

Located at 1200 North Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, the TCA Arshag
Dickranian Armenian School is a federally tax exempt, Pre-K to 12th grade
private educational institution. For more information visit

Armenian National Committee-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Tel: (818) 500-1918

PRESS RELEASE

March 31, 2010
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANC-PN TO HOST PANEL ON CAMPAIGN STAFF EXPERIENCES

BURBANK, CA—The Armenian National Committee Professional Network (ANC-PN)
will be hosting its next professionals panel series event on Wednesday,
April 7th at Woodbury University. Organized with the support of the ANC
Burbank and the Woodbury University Armenian Student Association, the event
features young professionals who will discuss their experiences on the
election campaign trail.

`It is important to provide this forum for young Armenian Americans,
especially students, so they are aware of the exciting opportunities and
jobs that are possible when getting involved in the election process,’ notes
Ayk Dikijian, one of the main organizers and the moderator of the evening’s
event.

The upcoming panel will take place at Woodbury University’s Hensel Hall
Conference Room. The event will start at 7:00pm. It is free and open to
the public. The Woodbury University campus is located at 7500 Glenoaks
Boulevard, Burbank, CA 91504.

Panelists include Areen Ibranossian, currently the Deputy Chief of Staff for
Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Krekorian, Rostom Sarkissian, General
Consultant with R Media, and Elen Asatryan, currently the Executive Director
with the Armenian National Committee of Glendale.

In May 2009, the ANC-PN hosted a similar panel at Glendale Community College
and has hosted other professionals panel events featuring other career
opportunities in public service and public policy. In January 2009 it
hosted a panel on community media at Woodbury University.

The Armenian National Committee-Western Region is the largest Armenian
American grassroots community organization in the Western United States.
Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the
country, the ANC-WR works to promote understanding regarding issues of
concern to the Armenian American community.

PRESS RELEASE
Analysis Research and Planning for Armenia (ARPA) Foundation
P.O.Box 33603
Granada Hills, CA 91394
Tel: 818-586-9660
Fax: 818-881-0010
Email: [email protected]

Event: Lecture on `Dollar Diplomacy & the Armenian Genocide’
Speaker: By Hrayr S. Karagueuzian
Date: April 23, Friday
Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School
Address: 13330 Riverside Dr., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Abstract: Except for a short period after the end of the First World
War, Turkey has consistently denied that it ever conceived and
employed a policy of intentional destruction of its Armenian citizens
during 1915-1923.
For Turkey, an overwhelming motive to cover-up the centrally conceived
and implemented ethnic cleansing is to prevent tarnishing the sacred
image of the `New’ Turkish Republic’ and its founding leader Mustapha
Kemal. Modern Turkey is packaged and sold to the Turks as a Government
distinct from the previous `terrorist’ regime of the Committee of
Union & Progress (the Ittihadists) whose leaders were convicted and
sentenced to death in absentia by the Turkish Military Tribunals for
their role in committing the mass murder. Turkey’s disclosure of these
facts and those responsible for the carnage will also expose Mustapha
Kemal as a war criminal who himself was sentenced to death in 1920 in
absentia. The unjust enrichment realized by the Turks through the
massive theft of the victims’ wealth are contributing factors that
preempt recognition and acknowledgment.
For the victorious Allies of World War I, acknowledging the massacres
as `Genocide,’ with the later UN-mandated moral, legal and financial
obligations would de facto violate West’s initial pledge made in 1923
to `renounce any and all financial claims’ against Turkey. These
financial deals directly involved Genocide money. Later Turkey’s
membership to the NATO alliance and its increasing lucrative arms
contracts with the U.S. further hardened and perpetuated the policy of
denial by all parties. New U.S. archival documents in the form of
official US diplomatic correspondences and memos hitherto unprocessed
will be presented that detail Turkey’s organized attempts to cash in
on the victims’ life insurance policy benefits and theft of their bank
accounts and valuables deposited in various Ottoman Bank branches.
NOTE. An analysis of these newly declassified documents by the speaker
are now published in a book coauthored by Yair Auron & entitled: `A
perfect Injustice: Genocide and Theft of Armenian Wealth’
(Transaction, 2009). Few copies of the book will be available for
purchase by interested attendees.
ARPA Institute is a non-profit 501c(3) organization located at:
18106 Miranda St., Tarzana CA 91356 . PHONE/FAX (818) 881-0010
26/1 Vazgen Sargsyan Str., Yerevan 0010, Armenia. Tel: (374 10)545538
(39)
Directions to Merdinian Auditorium
On the 101 FY Exit on Woodman, Go North and Turn Right (East) on
Riverside Dr.

About the Speaker
Hrayr S. Karagueuzian, PhD, FACC. Received his B.Sc. in 1969 in
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, from the Damascus University,
M.Sc. in 1972 in Pharmaceutical Biology and his Ph.D. in 1978, both
from Columbia University, New York, NY, Since 2007 he serves as the
Director of the Translational Arrhythmia Research Section, Division of
Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and since 2009
(July) as Professor of Medicine (Step VI), Division of Cardiology
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Previously, he has Directed
the Basic Cardiac Electrophysiology at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
in Los Angeles. Dr. Karagueuzian has been and is a member of numerous
international committees, editorial and review Boards of international
journals and publications, committees and societies. He is the
recipient of numerous research, technical and scientific awards,
grants and honors, as outstanding investigator and scientific
researcher. He holds five patents in the field of Fibrillation and
Defibrillation. Hrayr is the author of over 130 technical papers, 20
chapters in books, and numerous abstracts, review articles and letters
to the editors. His research and technical capabilities has led him to
pursue the study of U.S. archival documents and memos related to the
life insurance policy benefits and the theft of the bank accounts of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. He is the
author of and has served as the committee chair of the ARPA
Institute’s `Health Education and Lifestyle Program (HELP), which has
been (and is still being) implemented in Armenia and Artsakh, when he
was on the Board of Directors of ARPA Institute, 1994-2004.
For further information please call (818)881-0010 or contact
info@arpain