SYDNEY: Armenian National Committee World Council (ANC-WC) Chairman, Hagop Der Katchadourian will be the international guest of honour Advocacy Week 2011, which will run from 20-27 November, announced the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia).
Der Khatchadourian, a City University of New York MBA, a graduate of Concordia and McGill Universities in Canada, is currently Vice President of Information Technology of a Canadian Investment Banking Company, Otera Capital Inc. He is a member of the ARF Bureau and has served with the ANC worldwide network in various local, regional and central roles since the mid 1970s. Now he is Chairman of the world’s largest and most influential Armenian-diasporan public affairs and advocacy network, and has had, and continues to have, a leading role in the worldwide Armenian Genocide recognition process.
“ANC Australia’s advocacy efforts have grown significantly in a very short period of time and many of its successes have been met with praise by the global ANC community,” said Der Khatchadourian.
“It is my pleasure to join ANC Australia and the Armenian-Australian community as we bid for greater public awareness of the Armenian Genocide in Australia and push for a just resolution of this crime against humanity.”
In recent years, the ANC-WC registered a number of achievements in the USA, Europe, the Middle East and across the globe under Der Khatchadourian’s leadership.
In the United States, ANC secured passage - with a vote of 43 to 1 - of a resolution in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US Congress, calling upon the government of Turkey to return confiscated churches and property to the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian Church authorities. In Europe, ANC ensured passage of a motion in the Swedish Parliament bringing to 23 the list of nations which have recognised the Armenian Genocide as a crime against humanity. And in Israel, ANC pressed for Armenian Genocide education to be included in the Israeli history syllabus.
ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian assured that Der Khatchadourian’s participation in Advocacy Week will add weight to ANC Australia’s campaign to have the federal parliament recognise the Armenian Genocide as a crime against humanity.
"To attract guests of this calibre during a very important week for the advancement of our cause will undoubtedly support our efforts," Meguerditchian said.
"ANC Australia Advocacy Week 2011 is set to be the biggest ever. Joined by the global head of ANC, the Australian Hellenic Council, the Assyrian Universal Alliance and our allies in parliament, we will surely leave an indelible mark on Canberra this November."
Der Khatchadourian will join the ANC Australia team in Canberra and Sydney where he will meet with legislators to advance the cause for recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Australia.
Der Khatchadourian will appear at a number of public events during ANC Australia Advocacy Week, including: ANC Australia Young Leadership Seminar on Sunday 20 November; a Q & A evening on Wednesday 23 November; ANC Australia Annual Banquet on Friday 25 November; and Armenian Family Day on Sunday 27 November.
Further details of ANC Australia Advocacy Week will be released in the coming weeks.
Hagop Der Khatchadourian Biography
Hagop Der Khatchadourian grew up in Beirut, Lebanon before moving to Canada in 1976. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science degree from Concordia University, a graduate Diploma in Management from McGill University and an MBA from the City University of New York.
Der Khatchadourian, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Bureau, is fluent in English, Armenian, French and Arabic and has worked for various IT companies across the globe. He currently serves as VP and CIO of Canadian Investment Banking Company, Otera Capital Inc.
After serving in various ANC roles since the 1970s, he became chairman of the Armenian National Committee World Council, where he has been involved in grassroots capacity building, advocacy efforts, human rights education and fundraising.
