Armenians of Colorado Commemorate 87th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide; Dr. Richard Hovannisian to Speak on the Armenian Genocide.

News & Assignment Editors

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 2002

The Armenian American community and all other interested parties are cordially invited to join members of the Armenians of Colorado, a non-profit, cultural organization, in commemorating the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

From April 11 to April 24, the Armenians of Colorado will host a series of events and activities to commemorate the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. On April 24, Armenians around the world remember a great twentieth-century tragedy: the systematic massacre and deportation of approximately 1.5 million Armenians in the final years of the Ottoman empire. The Armenian genocide and lack of international recognition and ramification set the stage for the tragedy that later befell the Jewish people. "Who, after all, speaks of the annihilation of the Armenians?" Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of Nazi Germany (1933-45).

On April 11, at 8:00 p.m., Rocky Mountain PBS, channel 6, will be airing "The Armenians: a Story of Survival," a powerful depiction of the Armenian spirit, directed and produced by Andrew Goldberg.

On April 22, the Armenians of Colorado will exhibit genocide-related Armenian art and artifacts collected from the local Colorado Armenian community. It will be displayed at the Denver Public Library Conference Center from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. To complement the exhibit, well-renowned educator and Armenian historian Dr. Richard Hovannisian will be speaking on the Armenian Genocide. Hovannisian has held the Armenian Education Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History at the University of California, Los Angeles, since it was endowed in 1986. He has spent over 40 years developing and directing the UCLA undergraduate and graduate programs in the discipline. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in History from the University of California, Berkeley, and received his Ph.D. in Russian and Near Eastern history at UCLA. He is the author of numerous books and scholarly works on Armenian, Caucasian, and Near Eastern History. Hovannisian has received many international awards for his scholarship, including two honorary doctoral degrees.

On April 24, there will be a candlelight vigil at the Armenian Genocide Memorial Plaque. The plaque, dedicated 20 years ago, is located on the northeast quadrant of the State Capital Building. Ceremonies will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. State Senator Stephanie Takis and House Representative Lois Tochtrop are presently co-sponsoring a joint resolution in the Colorado legislature, which commemorates April 24 as the "Colorado Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide." They have both been invited to attend and speak at the candlelight vigil.

On April 28, church services will be held at St Gabriel Episcopal Church at 1:00 p.m. Bishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, will lead the congregation in remembrance and prayer.

The Armenians of Colorado, Inc. (AOC) was established in June 1980 as a non-profit, cultural organization. Its purpose is to create a cohesive Armenian community and to further the understanding of Armenian history, culture, religion, language, customs and heritage. AOC actively supports issues and concerns of the Armenian American community here in Colorado as well as those identified within the Armenian Diaspora communities throughout the world. The AOC represents over 1,000 Colorado Armenian residents accounting for over 400 Armenian families throughout the state. For more information on the Armenians of Colorado, visit www.armeniansofcolorado.org.