STATE AND LOCAL CALIF. OFFICIALS AND ANCA-WR TO TRAVEL TO ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH
Friday, September 13th, 2013
>From left: Assembly member Adrin Nazarian, Assembly Speaker John
Pèrez and Assembly member Katcho Achadjian
GLENDALE-After more than five months of planning, a bipartisan
delegation of prominent California elected officials and
representatives from the Armenian National Committee of America
-Western Region (ANCA-WR) will travel to Armenia and Artsakh this
week to meet with influential figures across Armenia’s and the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s political spectrum and obtain first-hand
understanding of the rich and dynamic cultures. The visit is scheduled
to take place from September 15, 2013 to September 24, 2013.
“The California State legislative delegation to Armenia is a long
overdue and groundbreaking development. We are very pleased that
Speaker Perez and a bipartisan group of legislators will be arriving
in our country at the invitation of the Governments of Armenia and
Artsakh. We are hopeful that this first in kind mission would leave
a lasting impact and contribute to strengthening political contacts
between the Republic of Armenia and the great State of California
– home to hundreds of thousands of compatriots,” stated former
Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles Grigor Hovhannissian. “The
legislative trip to Armenia is an important project I am involved in as
Armenia’s Consul General and I would like to seize this opportunity to
thank all our partners and friends, including the ANCA Western Region
who helped us in making this project possible,” added Hovhannissian.
In an effort to be better acquainted with one another prior to the
trip and to provide the state delegation with an opportunity to obtain
logistical answers about the trip, Consul General Hovhannissian and
ANCA-WR representatives traveled to Sacramento on Monday, September
9, for a pre-trip orientation. The meeting, filled with enthusiasm
and excitement, also gave way for participants to review the more
than 120 page packet that outlined a hefty itinerary for the visit
filled with meetings with officials and historic site visits as well
as background information on Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, the Armenian
Genocide, and current issues within the region.
“The gathering of representatives from both the State of California
and the City of Los Angeles governments is an important step in
strengthening the ties with the Republic of Armenia. I am pleased
to have the largest Armenian American political organization in the
United States, the Armenian National Committee of America, as part of
this traveling delegation to the Republic of Armenia. I look forward
to continue working with the ANCA in building a greater relationship
between the Republic of Armenia, the California State Assembly and
the Armenian American Diaspora. Promoting further awareness of issues
pertinent to Armenia is an integral part of my responsibility as both
a State Assemblyman and as an Armenian-American,” noted Assemblymember
Adrin Nazarian.
“We are pleased to have actively participated in the planning
and facilitation of this historic trip and are grateful for the
hospitality and initiative of the Armenian Government as well as CA
Assembly Members Adrin Nazarian and Katcho Achadjian who worked hand
in hand to make this possible,” stated ANCA Western Region Chair Nora
Hovsepian. “We are proud to serve as a bridge between government
representatives and the people of California and Armenia and are
looking forward to what promises to be a very memorable trip that
will set the foundation for similar visits with other officials in
the future,” added Hovsepian.
Delegation Participants include: Speaker John A. Pèrez, Speaker of
the California State Assembly Katcho Achadjian, California State
Assembly Cheryl R. Brown, California State Assembly Adrin Nazarian,
California State Assembly Scott Wilk, California State Assembly Bob
Blumenfield, Los Angeles City Council Paul Krekorian, Los Angeles
City Council Nora Hovsepian, Chair, Armenian National Committee of
America -Western Region Elen Asatryan, Executive Director, Armenian
National Committee of America – Western Region Dan Savage, Chief
of Staff, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian Areen Ibranossian, Chief of
Staff, Councilmember Paul Krekorian Jeremy Oberstein, Communications
Director, Councilmember Paul Krekorian Karo Torossian, Director of
Planning and Land Usage, Councilmember Paul Krekorian
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
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 ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.