US ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TO HONOR EAST FOUNDATION AND CONSUL GENERALS
FROM CYPRUS, SYRIA, ETHIOPIA AND URUGUAY FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN
SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1. ARMINFO. The Armenian Assembly of America, along
with the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church, announced today that the President of the Near
East Foundation and the consul generals from Cyprus, Syria, Ethiopia
and Uruguay will be among those honored by the Armenian community for
their efforts in supporting the survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
The “International Relief, Refuge, and Recognition Tribute” will take
place on February 24 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles,
California. The event will also recognize those nations, such as
Cyprus and Uruguay, which have officially acknowledged the Armenian
Genocide and serve as a prelude to a series of local, national and
international events that will commemorate and raise awareness of the
90th anniversary of the Genocide. “The governments of these four
countries have long-standing relationships with Armenia and its
people, with all serving as a safe haven for Armenians fleeing the
genocide,”
“Similarly, the Near East Relief is credited with saving hundreds of
thousands of Armenians and making possible productive futures for more
than 130,000 orphans.” Armenian survivors also turned to Syria, by far
the largest recipient of refugees of any Middle Eastern
country. Cyprus, Ethiopia and Uruguay also opened their doors and are
home to well-established Armenian communities.
>From 1919 until 1930, New York-based Near East Relief (now known as
the Near East Foundation) administered $117,000,000 to those in
need. Very early in the relief effort, attention focused on helping
rescued orphans to become self-supporting and contributing members of
the communities that had absorbed them.