Category Archives: Events
Return to Asbury Park 2015
By Robyn Kalajian
FLArmenians Cuisine Contributors
Asbury Park, New Jersey had been my family’s go-to vacation destination ever since the early 1950’s. Some landmarks of that era included the Van Hotel, Hye Hotel, Berkeley-Carteret Hotel, Monte Carlo swimming pool, Convention Hall, Sunset Lounge, the boardwalk, and, of course, the beach!
Armenians crowded the sandy shore mostly between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue. Beach blankets covered the sand; kef-time music filled the air. It was an awesome, innocent, coming-of-age location.
The late 1960’s -1970’s presented hard times for Asbury. Thankfully, the area has come into its own again. Tourism is once again flourishing, and Armenians are returning! In fact, 2015 marks the fourth consecutive year where Armenians will appear en masse in Asbury!
This year’s ‘Return to Asbury’ kef weekend on the beach is taking place from August 7th through August 9th. By attending, you’ll not only have the time of your life, the event proceeds will benefit Camp Haiastan, Camp Nubar, and St. Vartan Camp.
Arsine Kaloustian and Taniel Koushakjian at ‘Return to Asbury’ in 2014
Arsine Kaloustian and Taniel Koushakjian, founders of the state-wide organization Florida Armenians (FLArmenians) and rising community leaders, are working hard to make this year’s gathering super-spectacular. I’ve known these two fine, young professionals since they were children. I met Taniel when he was five, but have known his mother, Arlys, since she and I were in our early teens – in fact, we met at the Van Hotel in Asbury Park! I met Arsine and her family when she was about 12. Arsine, Taniel, and my daughter, Mandy are all about the same age, and grew up in South Florida. They formed a close-knit friendship from the very start – but I digress.
Return to Asbury 2015 will feature the Artsakh Band and……for the first time in Asbury in almost 50 years…..the Fabulous Vosbikian Band!
Need a place to stay? Check out the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel or the Hotel Tides. There are also some B&Bs in the area.
Get your tickets online now: www.returntoasbury2015.eventbrite.com.
Armenian Genocide Documentary to Air on WPBT-2 on June 11, 2015
Florida Armenians is pleased to inform you that Andrew Goldberg’s 2007 documentary The Armenian Genocide will air on South Florida’s WPBT-2 PBS channel on Thursday, June 11, 2015 at 8:00 PM. Florida Armenians Public Affairs Director Arsine Kaloustian and Boca Raton philanthropist Marta Batmasian will co-host the broadcast.
Please be sure to tune in and help support educational public broadcasting.
Armenian Assembly of America Presents Armenian Genocide Exhibit at Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida
Turkish Consulate in Miami Attempts to Block Discussion of Armenian Genocide
NAPLES, FL – On Sunday, April 12, Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) Communications Director Taniel Koushakjian presented the ‘Iconic Images of the Armenian Genocide‘ exhibit at the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of Southwest Florida to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide which began on April 24, 1915.
With a capacity filled hall, Koushakjian discussed the systemic nature of the killings step by step, and presented the 20-panel exhibit highlighting details through the photographic evidence taken by eyewitnesses at the time, including American missionaries and German officers. The fourth in a series of digital exhibits released free of charge, ‘Iconic Images of the Armenian Genocide’ brings together as a single collection key images recording the brutal mistreatment of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Turkish Empire and the utter destruction of their historic communities.
In an outrageous move to impede a program on human rights education, the Turkish Consulate in Miami sent a letter trying to block discussion of the Armenian Genocide. “It is a disgrace that the Armenian diaspora chooses to identify itself with hatred of Turks, anti-Turkism in other words, as well as with outright dismissal of any chance of reconciliation and better relations between Turkey and Armenia,” wrote Ozgur Kivanc Altan, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in Miami in the letter addressed to the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida. “This is disturbing, yet not surprising, as the [Armenian] diaspora sought in recent years to hijack the Holocaust in an attempt to garner support for a distorted presentation of the events of 1915,” read the Turkish complaint.
“We deeply appreciate the Holocaust Museum’s leadership in continuing the program as planned and are confident that Taniel’s presentation was well received,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Despite cynical attempts to silence the truth, the truth will prevail,” added Ardouny.
In addition to Sunday’s program, Koushakjian also gave a presentation of the Armenian Genocide on Saturday, April 11 for a group of a dozen educators from surrounding Collier, Hendry, Lee, and Monroe counties as part of a public teacher workshop on Holocaust and human rights education at the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of Southwest Florida.
Additional photographs are available on the Assembly’s Facebook Page.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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NR: # 2015-023
Photo Caption 1: Armenian Assembly Communications Director Taniel Koushakjian speaking to the audience about the Armenian Genocide.
Florida Armenians 