South Bay AYF Educating the Community: Armenian Genocide Museum

By Armen Karapetyan

Torrance, Ca- April 14, 2011 the Armenian Youth Federation, South Bay “Potorig” chapter, educated the community about the Armenian Genocide by creating a museum, the Armenian Genocide Museum.

More than 100 community members, both Armenian and Non-Armenian, came to observe and learn about the Genocide. “It’s amazing that until 2011, with all of my schooling, that love of history that I have, I have never
even heard of the Armenian Genocide. Today, I was asked by my school, as a school project, to come and see the Armenian Genocide Museum and was shocked to have never known anything about it. All though it is sad, I am grateful to know about this injustice and hope that America eventually acknowledges this tragedy.  God bless the Armenian people,” said David S, a community member who attended the event. Many more felt the same way as they toured each section of the Museum.

The Museum featured a miniature model of the Genocide Monument in Armenia, Tsitsernakaberd, in the middle of the room along with three different exhibits. The first was The Timeline Room, which outlined important dates leading up to the Genocide, during the Genocide, and post Genocide. After observing this room, Cristal Plaint, a student at a local high school, had this to say, “Horrified by how they were treated. How can people be so cruel and then pretend that this never happened?” A wall was also dedicated in the room to all the countries that have already acknowledged and accepted the genocide.  The second was The Monument Room, which showed and described all the monuments dedicated to the Armenian Genocide throughout the world. The final room was The Artists Room, which included Armenian authors, poets, singers and song writers, who have expressed their feelings about the Armenian Genocide. A wall was also dedicated to Genocide survivors and their stories. “This event brings light to this tragedy that happened to the Armenians,” said Lorenzo Gonzalez, also a student at a local high school.

When asked about this event, Sonig Mouradian, a South Bay AYF chapter member had this to say, “What happened in 1915 will never be forgotten and it is something that everyone in this world should know about. We are hoping that by educating our community they will educate their friends and family so that this becomes a chain. We strive to continue educating our community about the Armenian Genocide by organizing this Museum every year.” The Chapter hopes that they can one day inspire The Museum of Tolerance, located in Los Angeles, to have a permanent exhibit about the Armenian Genocide.