Patch.com
April 13 2013
`Cycle Against Denial’ Bike Rally in Encino Sunday
The 10-mile ride will focus attention on international genocide,
specifically the 1915 Armenian Genocide that the Turkish government
has long denied responsibility for allegedly conducting.
By Ajay Singh
Some 150 to 200 people are expected to participate in an annual
10-mile bicycle rally in Encino Sunday, aimed at focusing public
attention on genocide around the world, specifically the 1915 Armenian
Genocide that is believed to have resulted in the deaths of 1.5
million people.
The event, known as the 5th Cycle Against Denial rally, is focused on
protesting 98 years of denial of the Armenian Genocide by successive
governments in Turkey. Armenians have long accused the so-called
`Young Turks,’ who were in power in Turkey when the nation was part of
the Ottoman Empire in 1915, of carrying out the genocide.
The event is organized by the Armenian Youth Federation’s San Fernando
Valley “Sardarabad” Chapter. About 150 to 200 people turned up for
last year’s event, according to event organizer Mike Jamgotchian.
The Cycle Against Denial rally will begin at 1:30 p.m. from 5300 White
Oak Ave. in Encino. Participants will go up to Victory Boulevard, turn
a right on Sepulveda and bike to Ventura Boulevard before returning to
White Oak Avenue. The entire ride is expected to take about 90
minutes.
Check in is at 11 a.m. There will be a $10 registration charge, which
includes a rally T-shirt that will have the words `Ride Through The
Struggle’ printed on the back. Bikes may be rented for $20 each,
although participants who have their own bikes are encouraged to bring
their own bikes.
The Encino Neighborhood Council, which made a generous donation to the
Cycle Against Denial rally, will have an outreach table at the start
of the event on White Oak Avenue, Jamgotchian said.
`People mostly come for the experience of the bike ride, but we don’t
want the to lose the focus of what we’re there for,’ Jamgotchian said.
`What we’re truly there for is to get the message out that there is
genocide all over the world and while we’re addressing all of them,
our main focus is the Armenian Genocide of April 24, 1915, which the
Turkish government still denies it ever conducted.’
For further details and to register for the event, email
[email protected] or call (818) 370-0793.