SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia's Annual Gala honoured Mr. John Alexander MP, Dr. Hugh McDermott MP and Mr. James Robins at Doltone House Hyde Park, as the community raised over $210,000 for Armenian-Australian advocacy, with a concerted push to #RecognizeArtsakh promised.
The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) donated an additional $40,000 – from all ticket proceeds and a special auction – to the All-Armenia Fund's Artsakh Appeal, promising to do all it can to "save an ancestral motherland" after the signing of a one-sided ceasefire agreement, as well as embarking on delivering on responsibilities that include "heroes to honour, people to care for and return safely to their homes".
In his speech addressed to the Australian Government, ANC-AU Executive Director Mr. Haig Kayserian said: "We appreciate all those, some in this room, who have spoken out about this despite the Government’s culpable silence, despite the media’s simplistic false equivalence. We plead with you to continue doing the same, but with renewed vigour, as we begin a journey to pour ice on a deal that we do not accept."
"Let me be clearer, your Armenian-Australian constituents reject this deal! This is a deal that ignores the fundamental human rights to self-determination of our compatriots, whose democratic and legal expression of these rights in 1991 remains in force. This deal is one forced on our people under unacceptable duress."
Mr. Kayserian's speech can be viewed by clicking here or watching below.
With the Republic of Artsakh recently invaded by the combined forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey fuelled by Islamist jihadi terrorists, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, the Rt. Hon. Baroness Caroline Cox of Queensbury delivered a written statement from her relief mission in Yerevan and Stepanakert.
"There is now an urgent need for all relevant international authorities to bring to justice those responsible for such war crimes, and to take effective measures to prevent Azerbaijan from abusing and killing these prisoners, whom they have already captured or may capture during the ceasefire evacuation," Baroness Cox said through her message. "There must be no impunity for the most serious international crimes."
The ANC-AU presented the 2020 ANC-AU Freedom Award, which is the organisation's highest honour, to Federal Member for Bennelong Mr. John Alexander for his unyielding and exemplary dedication and advocacy promoting justice for the Armenian Genocide, peace and freedom for the Republic of Artsakh and all issues of importance to Armenian-Australians.
Mr. Alexander has been a long-standing advocate of the Armenian Genocide and a champion in defending the self-determination of indigenous Armenians in the Artsakh Republic. In May 2019, he became one of the inaugural members of the Australian Friends of Artsakh network and, in September 2019, he made history as the first Federal Australian parliamentarian to visit the Republic of Artsakh.
Mr. Alexander’s visit earned him a place alongside many local and international political leaders on the persona non grata blacklist of Azerbaijan's dictator, Ilham Aliyev, which he recently referred to as "an honour".
Mr. Alexander's acceptance speech can be viewed by clicking here or watching below.
The ANC-AU presented the Armenian Community's Friend of the Year Award to NSW Member for Prospect, Dr. Hugh McDermott for his championing efforts in achieving recognition of the Republic of Artsakh by the largest legislative chamber in the largest Australian state, the News South Wales Legislative Assembly, as well as his ongoing support to issues of importance to Armenian-Australians.
Dr, McDermott, a member of the NSW Armenia-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, was also an inaugural member of the Australian Friends of Artsakh network and a Baku-blacklisted visitor to Artsakh as part of the first Federal-led delegation in 2019.
Dr. McDermott's acceptance speech can be viewed by clicking here or watching below.
The ANC-AU's Ben Bagdikian Media Award – recognising those in media who have had the greatest impact raising awareness concerning matters important to Armenian-Australians – was handed to Mr. James Robins, who is a British/New Zealand award-winning journalist and historian. His work has appeared in The New Republic, The Guardian, the TLS, the New Statesman, and Prospect.
He authored When We Dead Awaken: Australia, New Zealand, and the Armenian Genocide, and this award is for Mr. Robins' work as the writer, producer and host of "The Great Crime", a podcast about the Armenian Genocide, taking an in-depth look at the extermination of the Armenian people from 1915 to 1923 and beyond.
This award was being handed out for the second time after broadcaster Mr. Alan Jones became the original recipient in 2019, and is named after Armenian Genocide survivor Mr. Ben Bagdikian, who was featured in Steven Spielberg’s film The Post (2017), recounting his time as assistant managing editor of The Washington Post where excerpts of the Pentagon Papers were published, exposing classified material regarding US involvement in the military campaign in Vietnam – despite strong opposition from the Nixon administration.
Mr. Bagdikian famously stated: "... the (only) way to assert the right to publish is to publish."
Mr. Robins' acceptance speech, from his home in London, can be viewed by clicking here or watching below.
The ANC-AU 2020 Gala included stellar list of guests including honourees Alexander and McDermott, as well as Federal Senators Deb O'Neill and Rex Patrick, Federal Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman, as well as state parliamentarians including the Hon. Jonathan O'Dea, the Hon. Walt Secord, Rev. Fred Nile and their former colleague Amanda Fazio, local government representatives including City of Willoughby Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney, Willoughby Councillor Brendan Zhu, Ryde Councillor Sarkis Yedelian, Sydney City Councillor Craig Chung, broadcaster Mr. Jon Dee, along with leaders of political party executives, and of Armenian, Indigenous, Assyrian, Greek, Kurdish and Jewish organisations.
Inaugural winner of The Voice Armenia in 2013 and finalist in The Voice Australia 2020, Ms Masha Mnjoyan graced the stage with a set dedicated to Artsakh, accompanied by Armenian-Australian classical guitarist Mr. Sako Dermenjian and keyboardist Mr. Matthew Thomson. She also performed a duet with up-and-coming talent, Mr. Charlie Tchetchenian, who recently featured at a concert with Michael Buble.
The Gala featured an unprecedented list of artwork, memorabilia and valuables for auction, which helped raise grassroots funds to accelerate ANC-AU's efforts to advocate for the rights to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh, Armenian Genocide recognition and the greater Armenian-Australian community.
A feature on the ANC-AU Youth Advocates cohort of 2020 also premiered at the Gala, fresh from the group’s exploits advocating for Australian recognition of the Republic of Artsakh in the Federal Parliament during this year's Advocacy Week.
A video featuring the fruits of the ANC-AU's youth outreach initiatives kicked off proceedings, which was proceeded over by MC Ms. Sarine Soghomonian and began with a Welcome to Country on NAIDOC Week by CEO of the NSW Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Mr. Nathan Moran. Mr. Vache Kahramanian and Ms. Garineh Torossian of the ANC-AU National Board also addressed attendees, with fellow Board member Mr. Stephen Abolakian and Intern Ms. Siranush Massih also gracing the stage during the evening.
ANC-AU also announced the latest addition to their board, Ms. Gisele Kapterian – who is a former chief of staff and adviser to three federal government ministers.
With the ANC-AU 2020 Gala a sell-out, a special Livestream of the event was also broadcast on Facebook (watch by clicking here).
