SYDNEY, MELBOURNE: Armenian Genocide Commemorative Week in Australia was highlighted with a capacity attendance at Sydney’s Commemoration Evening held at Ryde Civic Centre on Monday 18th April, where politicians, academics, community groups and journalists united to commemorate and to call upon the Australian and Turkish governments to officially recognise the genocide of the Armenians.
Archbishop Aghan Baliozian of the Armenian Apostolic Church, ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian and Keynote Speaker Professor Robert Kaplan were joined on stage by Scott Morrison MP, who is the Federal Shadow Minister for Immigration (representing the Leader of the Federal Opposition Tony Abbott MP), Victor Dominello MP, who is the NSW Minister for Citizenship (representing NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell MP), NSW MLC Sophie Cotsis, who is the Shadow Minister for Citizenship (representing the Leader of the NSW Opposition John Robertson MP), NSW MLC David Shoebridge representing the Greens and Independent NSW MLC, Rev. Fred Nile.
All political guests from major and minor parties who took to the stage reaffirmed the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide and committed to personally advocate for Federal government recognition of the Armenian Genocide. These commitments were greatly appreciated by the near 1000 members of the Armenian-Australian community who had gathered at the commemoration.
Armenian Genocide Commemorative Week began on Friday 15th April, with a commemoration for Western Sydney's Armenian-Australian community, where ANC Australia Political Affairs Director Vache Kahramanian spoke about the importance of grassroots activism and collective strength. He was joined at the Western Sydney commemoration by students and scouts who contributed with cultural performances in front of the 300-strong audience at the Panoyan Armenian Cultural Centre.
The following day, more than 200 Armenian-Australians gathered at Deakin University to hear Dr Donna Lee Frieze deliver the keynote speech at Armenian Genocide Commemoration in Melbourne. Frieze, who spoke about International Jurist Raphael Lemkin, was preceded by cultural performances and video presentations.
Meanwhile in Sydney, another 150 members of the Armenian-Australian community attended the City of Ryde memorial at the plaque erected by the Council in Meadowbank.
On Tuesday 19th April, over 250 Sydney Armenians were present at the Prayer and Wreath Laying at the Armenian Genocide monument in the Peace Garden of the NSW State Parliament House. The Wreath Laying Ceremony was followed by the Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS) Armenian Genocide Commemorative Lecture.
Once again, the unity and resolve of the Armenian-Australian community was demonstrated during Armenian Genocide Commemorative Week which attracted a combined audience of approximately 2,000 people throughout Australia.
Media coverage of the Armenian-Australian community's drive for recognition of the Armenian Genocide was also substantial. The drive for Armenian Genocide recognition by the government of Australia and the government of Turkey was covered on SBS national radio, The Weekly Times and The Northern District Times.
