AYF Announces 24 Hours of Action

GLENDALE — The Armenian Youth Federation will be holding 24 Hours of Action to demand justice for the Armenian Genocide starting at 2 p.m. on April 24 in front of the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles.

The 24 Hours of Action will begin with protesters disseminating information about the Armenian Genocide to the public. At 4 p.m., the AYF’s annual protest will take place, with community activists and civic leaders across the state coming together to publicly condemn the Republic of Turkey for its continued perpetuation of a campaign resulting in the death of over 1.5 million Armenians 99 years ago. The participants will gather in front of the office of the Turkish Consul General at 6300 Wilshire Blvd. until 6 p.m. to honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide and demand justice from the Republic of Turkey, as well as U.S. recognition of the genocide.

Following the protest, musical performances and live art will comprise the “Music as Resistance” and “Art as Rebirth” segments of the 24 Hours of Action. Beginning at midnight, protesters will present Gregory Stanton’s eight stages of genocide as they pertain to the Armenian Genocide and others that followed. A second protest rally taking place from noon to 2 p.m. on April 25 will conclude the 24 hours.

The AYF calls on the community and all concerned citizens to join the 24 Hours of Action. The organization is providing free buses to the consulate, which will depart at 2 p.m. on April 24 from various locations throughout the greater Los Angeles area: the Pasadena Armenian Center, St. Mary’s Church in Glendale, and Ferrahian Armenian School in Encino.

The 24-hour protest is among a number of commemoration events organized by the AYF to mark the anniversary of the genocide. A few such noteworthy events include a candlelight vigil at the Burbank City Hall on April 22 hosted by the Burbank “Varak” Chapter and the Cycle Against Denial bike rally on April 27 hosted by the San Fernando Valley “Sardarabad” Chapter.

The protest is a symbolic focal point for the community and represents the AYF’s year-round battle to gain proper recognition and restitution for the crime of genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government. It will be paired with a social media campaign to trend #ArmenianGenocide worldwide in order to bring global awareness to the issue.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization. With chapters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the AYF actively strives to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of all Armenian youth.