Hundreds Attend Burbank AYF Genocide Commemoration at City Hall

BURBANK–On Tuesday, April 22 the Burbank Armenian Youth Federation Varak” Chapter, organized two successful events in and around Burbank City

Hall.

First, the Burbank AYF Chairman Shunt Jarchafjian accepted a proclamation, during a televised Burbank City Council Meeting, from Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos. The proclamation honored the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Jarchafjian was joined by Vahe Shahinian of the Burbank Armenian National Committee and Burbank AYF member Raffi Proodian, who told an emotional story to the council about how his great-grandfather survived the genocide that took the lives of the rest of his family.

Just outside the doors of Burbank City Hall, more than 250 Armenian-Americans gathered for an 8 o’clock candlelight vigil, which also included a poetry reading by Burbank AYF member Nareh Aboolian and the playing of the Duduk by Armen Kvryan.

In a never-before-seen move by the Burbank City Council, the council members took a 15-minute break from their 4-hour council meeting to join their Armenian-American constituents at the candlelight vigil.

The gesture did not go unnoticed and was met with kudos from organizers.

Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, who serves in the California’s State Legislature, representing Glendale and Burbank, was on hand, to offer his commen’s at the event.

“Use this day as an opportunity to recommit yourself to standing up for what you know is the truth about 1915,” Krekorian said.

Other speakers included Hovan Tashjian of the Armenian Cultural Foundation, Garen Yeghparian of the Burbank Armenian National Committee, and Caspar Jivalagian of the Armenian Youth Federation.

“Ladies and Gentleman, I stand before you today as living proof that the plans and dreams of the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide have failed,” Jivalagian said in his impassioned commen’s.

The evening was made particularly special by the singing of the American and Armenian national anthems by Sherry Aghakhanian and the posting of the flags of the United States, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabak by the Homenetmen’scouts from the Burbank “Sipan” Chapter.