CAPITOL HILL ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION SET FOR APRIL 25TH

His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan to Offer the Morning Prayer in the U.S. Senate Earlier that Day

March 20, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian American organizations, in conjunction with the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, and with support of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia and the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, will host the annual Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide in the historic Senate Kennedy Caucus Room on April 25th, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The Master of Ceremonies will be The Honorable Ardashes Kassakhian, Clerk of the City of Glendale, California. Armenian Americans and anti-genocide advocates from across the United States are invited to join Senators and Representatives in marking this solemn occasion, and reaffirming the commitment of the American people to a truthful and just resolution of this crime.

Earlier that day, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan has been invited to offer the morning prayer on the Senate Floor. The Archbishop’s invocation will be broadcast on C-Span 2 and streamed online on www.cspan.org as well as www.senate.gov. In 2010, Archbishop Choloyan offered the morning prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives at the request of Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and the invitation of the House Chaplain.

Two pieces of legislation have recently been introduced in the U.S. Senate related to the Armenian Genocide. The first, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, S.Res.399, offered by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), calls upon the U.S. government to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide and to use the lessons of this atrocity to prevent future crimes against humanity. The second, the Return of Churches resolution, S.Res.392, introduced by Senators Scott Brown (R-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Mark Kirk calls upon Turkey to return stolen Christian church properties to their rightful owners.

The Senate Kennedy Caucus Room is located in the Russell Senate Office Building Room 325, located on Constitution Avenue, between Delaware Ave, NE and 1st Street NE. The closest metro station is Union Station (Red Line). Limited pay hourly parking is available at the Union Station parking structure. Contact the ANCA at anca@anca.org with any questions.

To learn more about this program, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/204594996312569/

#####

Photo Captions: Armenian Genocide Resolution lead cosponsor Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Congressional Hellenic Caucus Cochair Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) with Yeretsgeen Sirarpi Khoyan at the 2011 Capitol Hill Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan with Congressional Human Rights Caucus CoChair Frank Wolf (R-VA) during an April 2008 visit.

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Email / Tel: (202) 775-1918 / (703) 585-8254 cell
Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918 * Fax. (202) 775-5648 * Email.anca@anca.org