[John Alexander MP pictured with some of the Joint Justice Initiative advocates representing the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities]CANBERRA: Member of Parliament and Chair of the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities, John Alexander has signed an Affirmation of Support joining the Joint Justice Initiative launched by the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities.
The Joint Justice Initiative was launched in Canberra last month with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC), and calls for national recognition of the 1915 Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire against its Christian Armenian, Assyrian and Greek populations.
Alexander, who is the Federal Member for Bennelong – the most densely Armenian-populated electorate in Australia, has been a long-standing advocate for Australia's recognition of the Armenian Genocide, speaking on the record on the issue on countless occasions and even visiting the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan last year as part of the first Federal-led Australian Delegation to Armenia and Artsakh.
On that trip, Alexander became the first Federal Australian politician to visit the Armenian Republic of Artsakh.
"Mr. Alexander's record calling for Australia's recognition of the Ottoman Genocide of Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks is exemplary, and his backing of our Joint Justice Initiative is a welcome honour for all in our communities," said ANC-AU Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.
On 25th February 2020, over 100 Federal Australian parliamentarians, diplomats, departmental officials, political staffers, academics, media and community leaders were treated to cultural performances, food, wine and brandy, as well as the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which affirmed that the signatory public affairs representatives of the three communities were jointly committed to seeing Australia recognise the Turkish-committed Genocide against the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian citizens of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
More information here.
