SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia’s (ANC-AU) Annual Gala raised $170,000 to advance Armenian-Australian issues in public affairs, as Government Minister Paul Fletcher MP was honoured with the organisation’s Freedom Award, Shadow Minister Senator Kristina Keneally received the Armenian Community Friend of the Year Award and veteran journalist Michael Brissenden was presented with the Ben Bagdikian Media Award for 2021.
The 2021 Annual Gala, delayed due to Covid restrictions, was held at the glitzy Museum of Contemporary Art on Saturday 19th February 2022. The masters of ceremonies were ANC-AU Political Affairs Director Michael Kolokossian and ANC-AU Executive Administrator Sarine Soghomonian.
The guest list was long, headed by Greek Ambassador to Australia, HE Georges Papacostas; Federal Minister Fletcher; Federal Senator Keneally; Federal MPs Trent Zimmerman, John Alexander,and Jason Falinski; New South Wales State Legislative Assembly Speaker Jonathan O'Dea; NSW Ministers Natalie Ward, Damien Tudehope and Mark Coure; NSW Shadow Minister Walt Secord, NSW parliamentarians Hugh McDermott and Fred Nile; local government councillors from the Cities of Ryde, Willoughby and Fairfield; Former Federal Minister and now-Sky News pundit Graham Richardson; and representatives from academia, government organisations, media; as well as leaders of Armenian, Assyrian, Chinese, Greek and Jewish organisations.
Following a traditional Welcome to Country, conducted by Craig Madden of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Council, ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian rose to deliver the host organisation’s address.
After highlighting the so-called normalisation process between Turkey and Armenia as “bogus” and explaining the gaps the Australian Government needs to fill in order to join the righteous on the Armenian Genocide and Artsakh, Kayserian committed the ANC-AU to constant renewal of its grassroots to achieve the public affairs goals set out by the Armenian-Australian community.
“Late Kenyan activist and politician, Wangari Maathai once said: “The little grassroots people can change this world,” Kayserian said.
“We Armenians have no choice but to believe this to be true. Against corrupt petro-billions and internationally legitimised autocracies, all we have are ‘little grassroots people’, who together, need to change the world because––borrowing from Ben Franklin––’Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are’.”
“At the ANC-AU, we do what we do to remain outraged, in order to ensure the unaffected in the hallways of power become outraged,” Kayserian added (click here or watch below).
The event continued with the first honouree for the evening, Australia’s Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP, who was awarded the 2021 Armenian National Committee Freedom Award for his commitment to progressing Armenian-Australian issues consistently during his rise from humble back-bencher to a leading Government front-bencher.
Minister Fletcher was extremely humbled to receive the ANC-AU’s highest honour and expressed his ongoing commitment and solidarity with the Armenian-Australian community.
“It is vitally important that the truth of the Armenian Genocide be acknowledged and recognised, and that all civilised nations learn from this appalling episode in history,” Fletcher said.
“What we also know from the aggression that we have seen in relation to Artsakh, is that we need to be eternally vigilant in relation to these threats and the threats that freedom-loving people everywhere should be concerned about.”
“It is therefore enormously important that the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) is a continuing advocate and a continuing provider of education and awareness,” the Member for Bradfield added (click here or watch below).
The ANC-AU presented Senator the Hon. Kristina Keneally––Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship and Government Accountability––with the 2021 Armenian-Australian Friend of the Year Award, recognising her ongoing support for Armenian Genocide recognition and support for the safety, security and independence of the Republic of Artsakh.
She has demonstrated her allegiance to the Armenian-Australian community advocating for these issues on several occasions and has met with delegations from the Republic of Artsakh during her time serving in the Australian Senate.
In her remarks, Senator Keneally commended the ANC-AU’s advocacy efforts over the years.
“What I would like to acknowledge tonight is the way in which the Armenian National Committee has so successfully, so successfully stood up for its insistence that what happened over a hundred years ago was wrong and must be acknowledged, but have done so in a way that is truly Australian,” said Keneally (click here or watch below).
The award was presented to Senator Keneally by 2021 Hagop Kortian Scholarship recipient and ANC-AU Administrator Tamara Kotoyan, who––as part of her scholarship opportunity––interned with Senator Keneally in both her Sydney and Canberra offices.
Michael Brissenden, former political editor, ABC Radio host and ABC TV Current Affairs Washington Correspondent, was honoured with the ANC-AU Ben Bagdikian Media Award, recognising those in media who have had the most impact raising awareness concerning matters important to Armenian-Australians.
This award is named after Armenian Genocide survivor 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.
Following his retirement in 2021, the award recognised Brissenden’s insightful 7.30 Report investigation into the Turkish government's threat to ban outspoken Australian politicians from visiting Gallipoli for Anzac commemorations in 2015.
The report, spearheaded by Brissenden, also highlighted the unique link between Australia and the Armenian Genocide and exposed the Turkish dictatorships denialism policies in Australia.
Although Brissenden was unable to attend the ANC-AU Gala in person, he graciously accepted the award and delivered a video message to our community, dedicating the award to the late Professor Colin Tatz.
“The Turkish government hopes that our now-close relationship and the significance the Gallipoli campaign has to both our national identities will continue to be enough to prevent acknowledgement of this terrible event,” said Brissenden.
“But the hope is, that our relationship will be mature enough and, if not, the Federal Government will eventually find enough courage to follow the lead of the New South Wales and South Australian state governments and many other national governments and formally recognise what happened to the Armenian people in 1915 as Genocide.” added Brissenden (click here or watch below).
On the night, a special focus was also placed on the monumental motion unanimously debated in favour of Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocide recognition in late 2021, championed by the co-convening MPs of the Armenia-Australia Inter-Parliamentary Union, Trent Zimmerman and Joel Fitzgibbon.
A video was presented on the night, celebrating the remarks of all six speakers, which also included John Alexander MP, Josh Burns MP, Julian Leeser MP and Steve Georganas MP (click here or watch below).
MCs Michael Kolokossian and Sarine Soghomonian invited Zimmerman (click here or watch below) and Alexander (click here or watch below) on stage to honour their efforts calling for Armenian Genocide recognition and celebrated this historic achievement.
A focal point at every ANC-AU Gala is the mobilisation of young Armenian-Australians in national politics through youth outreach programs, such as the annual Youth Advocates and Galstaun Government programs, and Internship Programs like the Hagop Kortian Scholarship.
This year, a video was presented to attendees highlighting the trailblazers who paved the way for so many young Armenian-Australians to dream of a career in public life, as well as the Armenian-Australian youth who are currently employed in political roles across the state and country following their involvement in the ANC-AU.
The video featured former ANC-AU Board Member and Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian, ANC-AU Board Members Hovig Melkonian and Gisele Kapterian as well as ANC-AU Administrator and Electorate Officer for Linda Burney MP, Tamara Kotoyan, former ANC-AU Administrator and Electorate Officer for David Sharma MP, Siranush Massih, and former ANC-AU intern and Electorate Officer for Alister Henskens MP, Ryan Ayvazian (watch by clicking here or below).
ANC-AU Administrator Hrant Boujikian and former ANC-AU intern Areg Grigorian roamed the room with a microphone, asking a few VIPs in the room to answer a few questions. Member for Davidson Jonathan O'Dea MP, Member for Prospect Hugh McDermott MP and ANC-AU partner Kareen Mekertichian obliged with comments.
The night featured talented Armenian-Australian Jonny O’han (Ohanes Ohanessian), a classically trained tenor and a master of many genres and musical styles. During his set, Ohan performed ‘Leran Lanchin’ in honour of the fallen soldiers from the 2020 Artsakh War (watch below or by clicking here).
With the formal proceedings over, the Gala featured one of the most anticipated segments of the night, with several one-of-a-kind pieces, including memorabilia, artworks, and valuables going up for auction, which helped raise vital funds for the ANC-AU’s grassroots advocacy efforts.
The ANC-AU’s nights of nights concluded with closing remarks, a vote of thanks from ANC-AU Chairman Vache Kahramanian, and an announcement that the Gala raised $166,450 (which later rose to $170,000) to boost ANC-AU’s advocacy efforts for 2022.
