The Armenian National Committee of America Orange County Chapter (ANCA-OC) will organize the annual comunity wide commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in Santa Ana, CA, on April 21, Asbarez reports.
The program includes musical performances by accomplished Armenian artists Armenian Public Radio, Ayline, and Greg Hosharian, along with Orange County’s very own Green K.A.R.D., a local OC band comprised of AYF members, and Hasmik Piliposyan, a current student at UCI. There will also be a special presentation by the AGBU Manoogian Demirjian School Drama Conservatory ArtReach project “Voices from the Genocide,” and recitals by the A.G. Minassian Armenian school students. A number of short videos will also be screened during the program.
The participating organizations in this year’s event once again represent the entire Armenian community of Orange County and include the following: ACYO, AGBU Orange County Saturday School, A.G. Minassian Armenian School, ARF Armen Karo Gomideh, ARS Karni chapter and Saturday School, ARS Sevan chapter and Saturday school, AYF Ashod Yergat, AYF Aghpiur Serop Juniors, Forty Martyrs Armenian Church, Hamazkayin Siamanto, Homenetmen Sardarabad, Orange County Armenian Professional Society (OCAPS), St. Mary Armenian Church, and UCI Armenian Students Association (ASA).
The “Unity is Our Strength” motto was adopted by the Orange County Armenian community organizations during a February meeting organized by the ARF Armen Karo Gomideh. “Over the past few years the organizations have been working much more closely with each other, but the ARF’s proactive steps in reaching out to everyone and being inclusive has created stronger ties in Orange County with unprecedented levels of cooperation and coordination,” said ANCA OC board member Talar Malakian.
“Unity is Our Strength” has spread throughout the county, where on April 21st there will be an entire day filled with activities to remember the victims of the first Genocide of the 20th century. The AYF Ashod Yergat chapter and the ANCA-OC will participate in the “Walk to End Genocide,” organized by the Jewish World Watch at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. Professor Richard Hovhannisian will be speaking at St. Mary Armenian Church. Besides, the ANCA-OC has organized the “Unity is Our Strength” commemoration at Forty Martyrs Church with the participation of all the organizations and institutions listed.
“We encourage all of our community members to support each of the events planned for April 21st, to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, remember the victims and renew our commitment to work together to defend the rights of the Armenian people everywhere,” said ARF Armen Karo Gomideh Chairman. He went on to say, “These events are no longer a place of mourning and victimization, but a call to action, and we have room for every single Armenian in Orange County, especially the youth, to join the struggle, be it political, educational, cultural, or by any means that helps Hai Tahd.”
