Category: 2024

2024 Oratorical Middle School Contestants and Judges

The Armenian Educational Foundation’s Fifth Annual Oratorical Contest drew in over 150 supporters on January 27 at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, California. This year’s Oratorical Contest was held in collaboration with the UCLA Center for World Languages.

Representatives from eight local Armenian schools competed in both English and Armenian in the Middle School and High School Contests. The participating schools included:

• A.G.B.U. Manoogian-Demirdjian School;
• Armenian Mesrobian School;
• Armenian Sisters’ Academy;
• C & E Merdinian Evangelical School;
• Chamlian Armenian School;
• Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School;
• Rose & Alex Pilibos Armenian School;
• Sahag Mesrob Armenian Christian School.

This year’s competition covered a wide array of topics, including the connection between community and longevity, the influence of an Armenian role model, the impact of a non-profit organization in Armenia, and the effects of instant gratification on society. The judging criteria were based on the American Legion National Oratorical Contest guidelines.

The professional experience of the panel of judges encompassed a variety of backgrounds, including education, language, law, broadcast journalism, digital media, and film.

The distinguished judges for the middle school competition were:

• Alex Bastian, Esq. (President & CEO, Hotel Council of San Francisco);
• Tereza Hovhannisyan (Lecturer of Eastern Armenian Language, UCLA Near Eastern Languages & Cultures Department);
• Zaven Keuroghlian (Co-Founder & CEO, Zartonk Media);
• Sev Ohanian (Screenwriter & Film Producer);
• Dr. Shant Shekherdemian (Associate Professor of Surgery & Interim Chief of Pediatric Surgery, UCLA, Associate Director for Healthcare Outreach, UCLA Promise Armenian Institute);
• Vruir Tadevosian (TV Host & Journalist, Horizon Armenian TV).

2024 Oratorical High School Contestants and Judges

The distinguished judges for the high school competition were:

• Armine Amiryan (Head of News, USArmenia TV);
• Dr. Hagop Gulludjian (Kachigian Senior Lecturer of Armenian Language & Culture, UCLA Near Eastern Languages & Cultures Department);
• Ani Hovannisian Kevorkian (Documentary Filmmaker);
• Araksya Karapetian (News Anchor, FOX 11/Good Day LA);
• Dr. Lilit Keshishyan (Project Director, USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies, Lecturer, USC Writing Program);
• Gegham Mughnetsyan (Chitjian Researcher Archivist, USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies).

Teni Karapetian, Director of Film Publicity at Netflix, acted as Mistress of Ceremonies of the Middle School Contest while Haig Boyadjian, Vice President of Development at the Children of Armenia Fund, was the Master of Ceremonies for the High School Contest.

The winners of the 2024 AEF Oratorical Middle School Contest were Arpa Bostanian (6th grade) representing Armenian Sisters’ Academy for the Armenian language competition, and Harout Karadanaian (8th grade) from A.G.B.U. Manoogian-Demirdjian School for the English language contest. The 2024 AEF Oratorical High School Contest winners, who received the Richard G. Hovannisian Scholarship, were Natelle Ezadjian (10th grade) representing Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School for the Armenian language contest, and Narod Ekmekjian (11th grade) from Armenian Mesrobian School for the English language contest. Each winner was awarded with a $1,000 prize.

Sev Ohanian remarked, “I was absolutely blown away by the exceptional caliber and passion exhibited by all of the students. It was an honor to witness such brilliance, and I am truly grateful for AEF for the work they do to tirelessly nurture and elevate our community’s educational landscape.”

Dr. Lilit Keshishyan commented, “It was an absolute pleasure judging the AEF Oratorical Contest. Events like these showcase not only the eloquence and confidence of the students sharing their ideas, but also the organizations, teachers, and parents that empower them. The energy in the room was inspiring.”

AEF’s purpose in hosting the Oratorical Contest is to promote public speaking in Armenian youth, with the hope of encouraging and shaping a future generation of leaders, motivators and influencers who can become a positive force and promote progress within their community.

For more information on the Armenian Educational Foundation or to donate online, please visit the website.

More than 500 people turn out to celebrate ARS Western US 40th anniversary

More than 500 guests and members weathered the severe rains on Sunday to attend a special celebration at the Homenetmen Ararat Hall, marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian Relief Society Western USA.

Some of the official guests at the event Religious leaders offer the Invocation

The official guests included Western Prelate Bishop Torkom Donoyan; the former Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian; the Catholic Exarchate of U.S. Bishop Michael Mouradian; the head of the Armenian Evangelical Church Pastor Henrik Shahnazarian; ARS Central Executive Chair, Arusiak Melkonian and members, Ani Keshishian and Jaremen Mirzakhanian; ARF Western U.S. Central Committee chair, Avo Kechichian; representatives of elected officials; donors and supporters; as well as current and former ARS Regional Executive members.

ARS Regional Executive Chair Vicky Marashlian

To honor ARS members who had served the organization for 40 years and more, the ARS Regional Executive had organized a special ceremony, during which the honorees received a plaque and a memento with ARS emblem.

Following the honoring ceremony and reception, the official program kicked off with welcoming remarks delivered by Mistress of Ceremonies Preny Alaverdian. The U.S. and Armenian national anthems were performed by the students of the ARS Saturday Schools. Singer Berj Kirazian them performed the Artsakh and ARS anthems.

ARS Central Executive chair Arusiag Melkonian Mistress of Ceremonies Preny Alaverdian

In his address to the attendees, Western Prelate Bishop Donoyan congratulated ARS members, donors and supporters, emphasizing the importance of their dedicated service.

In her remarks, ARS Western USA Regional Executive chair Vicky Marashlian thanked the thousands of ARS members in the region for their unwavering service and lifelong commitment.

“With 40 years of serving the people as its main goal and principles, the ARS Western Region is that organization whose helping hands have reached from the Western U.S. to Armenia, Artsakh, Lebanon, Syria, Javakhk and all over the world, blessing countless hearts,” said Marashlian in her remarks.

Melkonian, the ARS Central Executive chair, also offered her congratulations on this milestone, emphasizing the ARS’ role in preserving national identity and assisting Armenians through its programs.

She called on those gathered to remain faithful to the sacred mission of the ARS and continue to realize its goals with conviction and determination, believe in the strengthening of the homeland and Artsakh’s victory.

The evening’s program continued with musical renditions by the Sonata music school percussion ensemble and the Lernazang national chorus, following which singer Razmig Baghdasarian capped off the event with a resounding performance.

The history of the ARS Western U.S. is an inseparable part of the contemporary history of the Armenian nation, and will continue its service in the homeland and Diaspora with its motto of “With the People, For the People.”

Senator Anthony Portantino offering remarks at the senate floor on Apr. 24 during the commemoration of the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

SACRAMENTO – Recognizing the severe shortage of healthcare providers in California, Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank) introduced a bill that creates a pathway for foreign educated doctors to practice as physician assistants in California through a pilot program. The program establishes a partnership with Yerevan State Medical University to allow clinically trained healthcare professionals to work in healthcare at a time when our system needs more providers.

“There are many highly skilled medical professionals who reside in California but cannot practice medicine,” said Senator Portantino. “This program would help address our healthcare provider shortage while offering immigrant doctors the opportunity to take steps to become qualified to practice their chosen craft here. It’s a win-win for the patient and the healthcare system.”

Foreign educated doctors often face challenges in leveraging their higher education qualifications in California. In particular, a significant number of Yerevan State Medical University graduates who practiced medicine in Armenia are not able to practice here.  These doctors, however, have received more clinical education than the typical physician’s assistant has. Rather than being welcomed into our healthcare system, many must accept other forms of jobs outside of healthcare because the process of undergoing licensing or certification to practice medicine is complex, time consuming, and challenging.

The bill, know as SB 1041, would establish a two-year Armenian Doctor Pilot Program. The program requires participants to enroll in a medical refresher course developed by Yerevan State Medical University and an accredited academic institution in California with an approved physician assistant program. It also requires classes to be provided by Yerevan State Medical University and the approved California educational institution via a distance learning program, clinical training undertaken in a federally qualified health center that serves the Armenian community in southern California. The unique program will be eligible only for permanent residents and the citizens of the United States.

“We welcome Senator Portantino’s efforts to establish the Armenian Doctors Pilot Program, which would create a pathway for Armenian educated physicians to practice as physician assistants for two years in qualified health centers in California,” stated Sarkis Balkhian, Executive Director of ANCA-Western Region.

“This program is paramount not only because it provides a professional pathway for Armenian doctors to resume their medical careers but also addresses the shortage of primary care physicians with the cultural and linguistic diversity and skills required to service Armenian-Americans across California, especially those who lack the socioeconomic resources and are often left behind by the system. SB 1041 will also foster further collaboration between the medical institutions of Armenia and California,” Balkhian added.

The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia

Last week President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan said that Armenia must change its constitution in order to make peace with Azerbaijan. Now official Baku is claiming that it is not just the Constitution, but there are other documents that are problematic.

Aliyev and his government want the Armenian Constitution changed because its preamble calls for the unification of Armenia and Artsakh, as stated in the country’s Declaration of Independence.

Elchin Amirbayov, Azerbaijan’s senior envoy for special assignments who has been closely involved in the negotiations, told RFE/RL’s Joshua Kucera that there are several other instances where Armenia’s claim on Artsakh appear in Armenia’s formal statements and legislation.

For example, he said, when Armenia’s legislature ratified the 1991 Alma Ata accords, which accepted Soviet republic borders as the borders of the newly independent states, lawmakers added language saying that it did not apply to Artsakh.

Amirbayov also called attention to language on the Armenian Foreign Ministry website saying that Nagorno-Karabakh is “an integral part of historic Armenia,” and recent Armenian filings in the European Court of Human Rights that imply a claim on Azerbaijan.

“We have pointed the attention of the Armenian side to those facts many times, during our [in-person] negotiations, but also through different exchanges of comments,” Amirbayov said. “And the Armenian side acknowledges that this is the fact, but nothing is being done…. When they try to cheat, if I may use the word, if they try to put all the blame and the responsibility on our shoulders, and at the same time in the back of their minds still having these territorial claims against us, it’s not going to work,” he added.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has alluded to the process Amirbayov described. “As part of the peace process, each side has noted problems in the other’s legal framework and informed it about that, and both sides have provided relevant clarifications,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on January 25. “There will definitely be such discussions.”

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday again made his case to parliament for the need to change Armenia’s Constitution. In doing so he said that if Armenians are guided by the Declaration of Independence then peace would not be possible. This and other such statements have angered opposition lawmakers and activists, who claim that Pashinyan’s push for a new constitution is meant to appease Baku and by extension Ankara.

The Armenian Relief Society of Western USA extends its heartfelt appreciation to its generous donors who participate in employer matching programs, effectively doubling the impact of their contributions to the organization’s humanitarian mission.

Recently, the ARS of Western USA has seen an increase from young professionals and individuals from the community, supported by their employers, that have come together to amplify their support to charitable causes through the region. Through these employer matching contributions, donors have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to making a lasting difference for various programs.

Major donors include Vache Shirikian and Talar Boyadjian, alongside many others, who have made matching contributions from companies throughout the years. The region is part of the nonprofit partners of Benevity, which provides a platform for corporate giving programs.

“We are greatly appreciative for the individuals, who have not only opened their hearts to support our causes but have also taken the extra step to participate in employer matching programs. The collaboration between donors and their employers is a powerful example of uniting together to create positive change and fostering community engagement,” stated Vicky Marashlian, ARS Regional Executive Board Chairperson.

For more information and ways to get involved, contact the ARS Regional Headquarters at (818) 500-1343 or [email protected].

Catholicos Karekin II with ARF Bureau chair Hagop Der Khachadourian in Etchmiadzin on Feb. 8

The chairman of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau, Hagop Der-Khachadourian, on Thursday met with His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians at Etchmiadzin, the ARF Press Service reported.

During the meeting the current situation in Armenia was discussed, as was the Artsakh issue, the protection of the rights of the people of Artsakh, specifically their collective return to their homeland.

Der-Khachadourian and the Catholicos also briefed one another about current and future efforts being undertaken in the homeland and globally to advance the just resolution to the Artsakh issue.

The importance of providing humanitarian assistance to Artsakh Armenians and continuing to strengthen the foundations of Armenia’s statehood were emphasized.

The two leaders also stressed the need to expand cooperations between national institutions and deepening the role of the church in the life of the Armenian people, as a means to advance national unity and confronting challenges.

“The Armenian Protection Act will put a stop to the Biden Administration’s funding of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime and desire for regional dominance.” — Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Michael Lawler (R-NY) joined with a bipartisan group of Armenian Caucus colleagues in introducing the “Armenian Protection Act” (H.R.7288) – a bill, strongly supported by the Armenian National Committee of America, aimed at stopping U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan. Its Senate counterpart (S.3000), spearheaded by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), was adopted unanimously last year.

The ANCA has launched a nationwide grassroots action campaign –  anca.org/Lawler – to expand Congressional support and fast-track consideration of the Armenian Protection Act (H.R.7288).

Representative Lawler co-authored this legislation with Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and fellow first-term legislator Gabe Amo (D-RI). If and when adopted and enacted into law, the Lawler-Pallone-Bilirakis-Amo Bill will tighten the existing statute restricting U.S. aid to Azerbaijan – Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act – substantively limiting the authority of the President to waive its full enforcement.

“For decades U.S. Presidents have recklessly waived statutory restrictions on military aid to Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime – materially aiding and morally emboldening both its 2023 ethnic-cleansing of Artsakh and its ongoing illegal occupation of Armenian territory,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We thank Representatives Lawler, Pallone, Bilirakis, and Amo for their principled leadership in restoring long-overdue Congressional oversight of military assistance to Azerbaijan. We stand behind this and other legislative initiatives – from Section 907 and 502B-related measures to Magnitsky and Leahy sanctions – to hold Azerbaijan’s Aliyev regime accountable for its violations of international law,” concluded Hamparian.

Rep. Lawler, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, was adamant about the need for clear Biden Administration action to stop bolstering Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian attacks. “Over 100,000 Armenians were targeted, abused, and displaced by the Government of Azerbaijan when they fled Nagorno-Karabakh in recent months,” explained Rep. Lawler. “There is no question of Azerbaijan’s aggression, yet President Biden continues to turn a blind eye.” He continued to note that “It’s simply unacceptable for the U.S. to be funding Azerbaijan’s campaign against the Armenian people. The Armenian Protection Act will put a stop to the Biden Administration’s funding of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime and desire for regional dominance.”

Rep. Pallone stressed the need for Azerbaijani accountability for the genocide against Artsakh’s indigenous Armenian population. “President Aliyev broke international law when he ordered his deadly assault of Artsakh last September and still has not faced any meaningful consequences from the international community. World leaders failed to stop his genocidal campaign that has displaced 120,000 Armenians from their historic homeland even though his belligerent rhetoric and troop movements made it clear an attack was imminent,” stated Rep. Pallone. “It’s far past time for the United States and our allies to take serious actions that will prevent even more death and destruction at the hands of Aliyev and provide the safety and security in the region that Armenia needs to thrive as a democracy. The Armenian Protection Act will finally hold the Aliyev regime accountable, halt any further U.S. security assistance until they end their destabilizing actions in the region, and require proof that they can be a trustworthy party in peace negotiations moving forward. I call upon House leadership to take up this commonsense legislation and pass it immediately.”

Rep. Bilirakis stressed the importance of passing the measure. “Given the political and humanitarian crisis that has resulted from Azerbaijan’s recent aggression toward neighboring Armenia, it is unconscionable that U.S. tax dollars are going to support this brutal regime. Those dollars could better be used here at home,” said Rep. Bilirakis.

“We must send a clear message to the Government of Azerbaijan and our partners around the globe that the United States will not stand for unprovoked attacks on the Armenian people,” said Congressman Amo, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We cannot allow the Government of Azerbaijan to get a free pass for their brutal military aggression and blockades against the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation to show that the United States stands with the people of Armenia and will not accept Azerbaijan’s assault on Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Both Presidents Trump and Biden – counter to the spirit and letter of Section 907 – chose to materially arm and morally embolden Azerbaijan’s aggression and eventual genocide against the indigenous Armenian Christians of Artsakh. The Lawler-Pallone-Bilirakis-Amo Bill will – by reaffirming this statute – help restore the Constitutional role of Congress in setting U.S. military aid policy and ensuring appropriate oversight and accountability of U.S. security and military assistance programs.