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AYF Finalizes Plans for the 2012 Olympics

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – On Thanksgiving Weekend, the Armenian youth will converge in San Francisco for what has become an annual tradition, the 39th Annual AYF Western Region Olympic Games. Members from Fourteen chapters across the Western United States will be competing in Flag Football, Soccer, and Dodgeball tournaments.

“Olympics presents a unique opportunity for the entire AYF family to come together for a weekend of camaraderie, catching up with old friends and making new ones,” explains San Francisco AYF member Raffi Senekeremian. “As a distant chapter, it tends to be difficult for us to participate with most of the AYF events that take place in the LA Area, but Olympics serves as a venue for distant chapters to be one with the LA Area chapters for a weekend of fun and competition.”

The San Francisco “Rosdom” and Orange County “Ashod Yergat” chapters have been working hard for the past year to prepare a memorable weekend for the Armenian Youth and the San Francisco community. The events will be held from Friday, November 23rd through Sunday, November 25th, with activities taking place day and night.

The weekend will begin with a welcome Yacht Party around the bay, celebrating the start of an amazing weekend. The games will begin first thing Saturday morning, with fourteen chapters competing to win the gold and bragging rights!

Saturday night, attendees will attend a Barahantes at the Khatchaturian Armenian Center’s Saroyan Hall, in celebration of, not only the winners of the 2012 games, but of the 80th Anniversary of the Armenian Youth Federation as well. The evening will undoubtedly be unforgettable, and will feature entertainment provided by Khatchig Jingirian, delicious food, and various guest speakers.

For more information on the Olympics Games and night activities, please visit www.AYF2012.com.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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Armenian Youth Organizations Demand Justice for Slain Soldier

Protest Against Azeri and Hungarian Consulates in Los Angeles Scheduled for September 6

A number of community youth organizations, including the Armenian Youth Federation, the Unified Young Armenians, the SDHP Gaidz Youth Organization, the All-ASA and the ARF Shant Student Association have joined forces to protest against the extradition and pardon of an Azerbaijani soldier responsible for brutally murdering an Armenian military officer 8 years ago during NATO military exercises in Hungary. The protest will take place on Thursday, September 6th at 3 PM at the Azerbaijani and Hungarian Consulates – both located at 11766 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 410, Los Angeles, California 90025.

You can join the event on Facebook by clicking here.

Below is the official statement released by the organizing committee regarding the issue:

We, the undersigned organizations, express our outrage with the immoral and irresponsible decision of the Hungarian Government to extradite a cold-blooded murderer, Ramil Safarov, responsible for the axing of an Armenian Army lieutenant, Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest on February 19, 2004 during the Partnership for Peace NATO Conference.  We strongly condemn the hate-driven actions of the Azeri Government, which not only pardoned this criminal but also gave him a hero’s welcome.

In 2006, the Hungarian court found Safarov guilty of murdering Lt. Margaryan and sentenced him to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.  His release, justified by the Hungarian Government by references to the 1983 Strasbourg Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, has allowed the murderer to escape just punishment and instead be treated as a national hero inAzerbaijan.

Officials in Budapest could not have been unaware of the fact that the above mentioned Convention contains a clause which allows the receiving country to issue pardons to transferred prisoners. Given the circumstances, it becomes obvious that the Hungarian Government has chosen to disregard morality and justice in exchange for Azeri petrodollars and the friendly disposition of the corrupt Aliyev regime.

This decision is even more deplorable due to the fact that despite the assurances from Azerbaijan that Safarov’s sentence would not be commuted, the brutal criminal was immediately pardoned by President Aliyev and was greeted as a national hero upon his return to Baku.  Once again, we have witnessed the lionization of those who preach hatred towards Armenians, which is consistent with the antagonistic and xenophobic policies of the Government of Azerbaijan.

We condemn these actions of both the Government of Hungary and the corrupt regime in Baku.  We urge the international community to join us in demanding an apology from the Hungarian Government and asking for the rescission of their immoral decision on extradition.  From the Azeri Government, we demand a reversal of the pardon and an immediate imprisonment of Ramil Safarov.  We call upon theSouthern California community and especially Armenian Americans to join us in expressing our anger and demanding justice by participating in a protest in front of the Azeri and Hungarian Consulates in Los Angeles (11766 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025) on Thursday, September 6th at 3PM.

Armenian Youth Federation

Unified Young Armenians

SDHP Gaidz Youth Organization

The All-ASA

ARF Shant Student Association

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Stain of Denial: Cultivating Silence in Advocacy

By: Nare Kupelian

The voice is a human gift to be embraced and used. It is through speech that one may relay their most pertinent ideas and engage others with their vision. Yet, the spoken word is an obligation, viewed as an essential in the advocacy of any cause. But the ability to remain silent, constitutes a strength in and of itself, and allows each person to foster their power. We have created tactics and methods that aim to generate the greatest amount of noise, which have, nonetheless, proven to be successful in the past. Yet, we have passed over the notion of silence as a tool for the mass portrayal of a message as well as the increased consciousness of individuals.

On Thursday, January 26, 2012, the affiliated schools and organizations of the Confederation of All-Armenian Student Associations joined in silence to protest the denial of the Armenian Genocide. Silent protests were organized in conjunction at UCLA, USC, UCSD, UCSB, UC Irvine, Cal State LA and CSUN. The “Stain of Denial” was aimed at informing the greater campus communities about the Armenian Genocide and the ensuing denial campaign by the government of Turkey. Through their individual student bodies, the respective All-ASA organizations spread the collective message of the detrimental effects of injustice and denial, generations after the initial crime was committed. Covering their mouths with tape and bearing written signs as testaments of their message, hundreds of college students coalesced to condemn the cyclical precedent of the repression of justice. Following the passage of legislation in France criminalizing the Armenian Genocide, these students encouraged the US government not to succumb to political bullying and reject Turkey’s gag rule.

A sudden silence ensuing on a normal school day in January can really take us back to the fundamentals. It takes the silent portrayal of our message to reveal to us the multi-faceted approaches involved in the advocacy of our cause. Through my participation in the silent protest at UCSD, I saw a dynamic overcome the participants throughout the day. As students first arrived, they giggled in skepticism when we placed tape over their mouths, handed them a poster and asked them to sit silently in a high-traffic area on campus. Hesitant at first, they continuously peeled off their tape, distracted themselves with conversations, and mingled with friends. After about an hour, a certain sense of solemnity came over the participants, as the gravity of their task seemed to finally settle in. Silence ensued and each person became cognizant of their individual contribution in our collective message. Contemplating over their current situation, a certain aura of consciousness was obvious within each student, recognizing the substantive importance of the message they were relaying. Instead of being merely supportive of an event or project, these students were the spectacle themselves, feeling the characterization on their own skin and physically carrying the label of their message.

Cultivating silence as a means of advocacy has proven challenging, as it lacks the galvanizing effect of the fervent, loud desperation of spoken word. Silence and powerlessness are often equated through a causal relationship. Nevertheless, where silent demonstrations lack in ardency, they make up for in attracting inquisitive interest. From the participant standpoint, what seemed elusive and were solely held as ideas, had now became a tangible reality. Individuals were challenged to not only advocate the reality of our issue, but to become a representative part of it. To the unknowing passerby on campus at these colleges, written messages and their human characterizations incited curiosity as to the rigor of this sit-down, silent demonstration. Media coverage, via school and community newspapers, television news networks, magazines, and blogs, created a vibrant buzz around events where virtually no words were spoken. Almost all participating schools had segments published in either their community or school newspapers, with several protesters being featured on the covers of well-known school media.

There are many situations in which silence has the loudest voice. The ability for a person to say nothing and stand for a cause nurtures a great strength and understanding. What is said through spoken word is understood, but what is said through silence is felt. Part of our responsibility as student leaders is to ensure that there is a resonant consciousness among our student bodies of the issues that we all represent. Before we can render others responsible for our causes, we need to promote education and understanding within our own ranks. The collective message will be relayed, be it through traditional modes of demonstration or newly employed tactics, but focus on developing the individual advertence to our cause is a priority. Thus, it was this very zeal for raising awareness and setting demands that incited hundreds of college students to demonstrate that sometimes saying nothing actually says the most.

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Reaching Beyond Ruins

The second largest city in Armenia is in desperate need of aid. Almost 24 years ago Gyumri was struck by an earthquake of 7.1 magnitude killing upwards of 25,000 people and leaving thousands of families devastated and homeless. Over the years, dozens of communities, organizations and nations have given the Gyumri populace aid and funds, however, many parts of Gyumri still lie in ruins. This is in part due to the lack of local government support. Gyumri’s mayor and many of his oligarch counterparts have corrupted the region of Spitak, and have left the people unable to rebuild their lives.

The Orange County Ashod Yergat AYF chapter has taken up the task of raising awareness as well as collecting donations to rebuild and revive Gyumri. Last year the Orange County AYF held its first Gyumri event called Reaching Beyond Ruins; An exhibit of photos and videos of Gyumri, past and present.

Building upon the success of last year, on June 9th the OC Ashod Yergat AYF chapter will host its second annual Gyumri event, giving the public a chance to see the destruction more than two decades after the earthquake. The event will take place at The Coffee Table Lounge in Eagle Rock from 8pm to 12am. There will be music and an open bar, as well as an interactive display of photography and information documenting the effects of the 1988 earthquake on the current social and political situation in Gyumri. Admission is free for all, however the venue is 21+ after 10pm. We look forward to seeing everybody there supporting our brothers and sisters in Gyumri.

For more information regarding the event click here.

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AYF Protests to End the Cycle of Genocide

BY: GAIANEH AVANESSIAN

On the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide the Armenian Youth Federation rallied the community in protest, demanding the United States and Turkish governments officially recognize the Genocide. Demonstrators were rallying for justice for the 1.5 million Armenians slaughtered at the hands of Ottoman Turks, in the form of reparations and official recognition owed to the Armenian people.

The demonstration attracted thousands of people; young and old, Armenian and non-Armenian to the Turkish Consulate on Wilshire and Fairfax in Los Angeles. As the protest grew in size, the Los Angeles Police Department was forced to shut down parts of Wilshire blvd. to allow the mass of people to move into the street.

Current Glendale Unified School District Board Member and State Assembly candidate Greg Krikorian delivered a speech motivating the youth to continue the fight for Armenian Genocide justice, while AYF member Nora Injeyan passionately spoke about the universal impact of an unrecognized genocide in her keynote remarks.

A sentiment of betrayal and disappointment was felt by everyone in the crowd as on April 23rd, on the eve of the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, President Obama delivered remarks at the U.S. Holocaust museum highlighting the America’s commitment to the prevention of genocide without ever mentioning the Armenian Genocide. President Obama, don’t you know an unrecognized genocide negates any genocide prevention measures the White House takes? And so the cycle continues…

“Recognition is not just an Armenian issue. We do not demand recognition to affirm the truth, we demand recognition because in ignoring the lessons of the Armenian Genocide, the cycle only continued with the Holocaust, Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur,” said Injeyan. “It is the new generation, the educated youth, who will lead this struggle regardless of background or political affiliation, because when the Armenian people stand united, no amount of immoral lobbying or money thrown at the Turkish denial machine can stop us.”

AYF Chairperson David Arakelyan delivered his speech in Armenian, exclaiming that the rights of the Armenian people to their occupied homeland and proper recognition of the Genocide are not
negotiable. “Our generation will be the generation that will expand Armenia’s borders by adding Javakhk and Nakhichevan, Kars and Van, Mush and Ardahan, Ani and Karin to the independent Artsakh. And our generation will be the generation that will create a free, independent, and united Armenia,” added Arakelyan.

Arakelyan also spoke directly to Armenian President Serge Sarkissian demanding he remove Armenia’s signature from the Protocols, showing the Armenian people are not willing to make any concessions regarding the recognition of the Genocide.

Twelve year old Sevana Manoukian had a message for the Turkish government. In her letter addressed directly to the Republic of Turkey she says, “You still have not said sorry for what you have done to the Armenian people. The only way Armenians and Turks can ever be friends is if the Turks say sorry for the Genocide and give us our lands back.”

After reading her letter out loud to the crowd, Manoukian attempted to hand deliver it to the consulate, only to be shut out.

“If the Turkish government truly has nothing to hide, why avoid a 12 year old girl and deny her entry?” said one demonstrator at the scene.

As the Turkish government continues attempting to erase a part of its history, the stain of denial is still visible. The cycle will continue until all genocides are recognized, proving once and for all that no regime will ever get away with such heinous crimes against humanity.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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Phoenix AYF Commemorates 97th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

The Armenian community in Phoenix marked the 97th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by holding a Candlelight Vigil followed by the screening of Suzanne Khardalian’s documentary ‘Grandma’s Tattoos.’The commemorative events took place on Saturday, April 22nd at the Phoenix Armenian Center and attracted more than 100 community members.

After an opening ceremony by the HMEM Scouts, the heads of the local ARF, ARS, HMEM, AYF chapters and the representative from the AYF Central Executive started the evening by lighting candles in memory of the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide. Students from the local ARS Saturday school performed the national anthems of Armenia and the United States, followed by a number of songs in memory of the martyrs.

The AYF Phoenix ‘Kedashen’ chapter chairperson, Hakop Ohannessian, called upon the community ‘to keep the memory of our victims alive and continue maintaining the Armenian identity in the Diaspora’ in order to show to the Turkish government that they failed to achieve their stated goal of annihilating the Armenian nation.

After a poem recitation by a Phoenix AYF member, Elizabeth Ohannessian, remarks were delivered by the chairperson of the AYF Central Executive, David Arakelyan, who was also in attendance. Arakelyan mentioned the importance of keeping the issue of restitution for the Armenian Genocide at the center of our nation’s attention and called upon the youth to take the struggle for justice to the next level. ‘Our generation will be the generation that will create a brighter future for our nation. We will continue to work tirelessly until we reach our goals and realize the dream of a free, independent, and united Armenia,’ Arakelyan stated.

The evening concluded with the viewing of ‘Grandma’s Tattoos,’ a documentary dedicated to the fate of thousands of Armenian women, enslaved and tattooed by the Turks and the Kurds in the aftermath of the Genocide.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the United States working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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AYF Hosts Career Fair to Network Youth with Alumni

Hollywood, CA- The Armenian Youth Federation’s Alumni Central Board seeks to professionally inspire Southern Californian youth by organizing a free event providing young, motivated students a chance to network and connect with successful employers from a wide array of fields.

The event, titled “Where Opportunity Meets Experience,” will be held at the Hollywood Armenian Center on April 29th from 4 to 7 p.m. “This career fair will provide students multiple tools and resources that will help them explore the field they are passionate about pursuing,” says Anya Agopian, a member of the Board.

Careers being represented include: Accounting, Acting, Architecture, Chef/Restaurant business, Construction, Engineering, Fashion Design, Finance, Government Work, Graphic Design, Green Energy, Insurance, Law, Law Enforcement, Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology, Real Estate, Social Work, and Teaching/Education.

“Students will have the exclusive opportunity to actually sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with a successful employer to get the ins-and-outs on how to be successful in the field of their choice,” says Sanan Haroun, a member of AYF Central Executive. “The employers are here to guide and mentor the up and coming generation to become future leaders and innovators.”

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the United States working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

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Cycle Against Denial on April 29th!

ENCINO, CA– On April 29, 2012 the AYF San Fernando Valley “Sardarabad” Chapter will be hosting the 4th annual “Cycle Against Denial” in rememebrance of the Armenian Gneocide. The  event will see cyclists and activists circling over ten miles beginning and ending at Holy Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church (5300 White Oak Ave. Encino, Ca).

Please join us to raise awareness about the first genocide of the 20th century in which the Ottoman Empire massacred over 1.5 million Armenians in 1915. The never-ending circle of denial will only end through education. Let us work together to exercise and at the same time spread awareness to our community about the Armenian Genocide.

In order to register please e-mail cycleagainstdenial@gmail.com with riders’ names, ages and whether or not a bike rental is required.

Event check-in begins at 11:00am and is required for each rider; for those under the of age 18 an adult must be present to check-in. The participation fee is $5 and bike rentals are $20. Those under the age of 18 must wear helmets.

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South Bay AYF Hosts Annual Genocide Museum

Torrance, CA- The Armenian Youth Federation’s South Bay “Potorig” Chapter will host its second annual Armenian Genocide Museum on Thursday April 12th at 5:30 PM at the South Bay Armenian Center (2222 Lomita Blvd. Lomita, Ca 90717).  In its inaugural year last year the event showcased important information about the Armenian Genocide and exposed to the non-Armenian South Bay community the atrocities of the Genocide.

The museum features themed rooms in chronological order according to the timeline of the Genocide, modern activism and Armenians in the media, and Armenian Genocide Monuments around the world. As a centerpiece, a scale model of the Armenian Genocide Monument in Armenia, Tzisernakabert will be featured. The Potorig chapter hopes to attract a diverse crowd from the South Bay community and beyond, including students from local high schools and organizations.

The night will also include a special screening of the widely acclaimed documentary “Grandma’s Tattoos” at 8:30 PM. The film follows Susan Khardalian’s journey to find the truth behind the mysterious tattoos that covered her late grandmother’s face and hands.

The AYF South Bay Potorig Chapter invites the community to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

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