Category Archives: News
South Florida Armenian American Community Commemorates 96th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
SOUTH FLORIDA ARMENIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY COMMEMORATES 96TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Boca Raton, FL – Last week, hundreds of members, friends and human rights activists from the South Florida Armenian American community commemorated the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Florida Atlantic University (FAU).
This year’s observance culminated the month long display of the 21-panel Armenian Genocide exhibition on loan to FAU Libraries from the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. The exhibition displayed the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey during World War I. The panels showcased photographs, quotes from witnesses and the history and legacy of the genocide.
“It was truly inspirational to see South Florida Armenians from three generations come together to honor their fallen ancestors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide,” stated Arsine Kaloustian-Rosenthal, FLArmenians.com Public Affairs Director. “The importance of remembering, sharing of stories between families, and of course the FAU exhibit itself, stands in the face of genocide denial and advances the cause of genocide prevention,” stated Kaloustian-Rosenthal.
Armenians around the world commemorate the genocide on April 24, when in 1915 Ottoman Turkish authorities rounded up, arrested and murdered over 200 Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey. Over 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children perished in 1915-1923 in what historians recognize as the Armenian Genocide.
Rev. Fr. Vartan Joulfayan, Dr. Mary Johnson, Dr. Rose Gatens, Very Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian
Dr. Mary Johnson, Senior Historian with Facing History & Ourselves, and curator of the Armenian Genocide exhibit, served as master of ceremonies. Dr. Johnson opened the program with special thanks to Dr. Rose Gatens, Director of the FAU Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education. Dr. Johnson spoke about her experiences teaching the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of its denial.
“The response of the Armenian community to the exhibition on the Armenian Genocide at Florida Atlantic University was incredible,” Dr. Johnson told FLArmenians.com. “Visitors not only examined the panels and the narrative of the history but talked about the exhibition and its implications for today – this ensures that the historical event will be remembered and future generations will continue to tell the story,” concluded Dr. Johnson.
On behalf of St. David Armenian Church, Garen Kalender, Rita Vartanian and Kaliana Maronian presented traditional Armenian poetry. Mr. Albert Mazmanian offered remarks while his daughter Natalie recited her self composed poetry. A musical interlude was offered by local talents from St. Mary’s Armenian Church, Sage McBride (violin) and Marineh Alikhnyn (piano) who performed the famous Armenian composition Groung by Komitas. A short screening from the upcoming film “Orphans of The Genocide” was also presented by south Florida film producers Bared Maronian, Bedo Der-Bedrosian and Paul Andonian.
“Having the commemoration program and exhibition at FAU Library was a wonderful opportunity to teach others about the origins and the history of the Armenian Genocide, a major crime against humanity committed by Ottoman Turks at the dawn of the 20th Century,” stated V. Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian. “We pray that the time will come when justice will be served and Turkey will acknowledge its history,” stated Fr. Berberian.
V. Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian of St. David Armenian Church and Rev. Fr. Vartan Joulfayan of St. Mary Armenian Church offered the memorial service for the victims of the Armenian genocide. The South Florida Armenian Genocide Commemoration was held under the auspices of St. David Armenian Church of Boca Raton, St. Mary Armenian Church of Hollywood, the Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian National Committee and the Knights of Vartan.
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Photo Caption (L-R): Rev. Fr. Vartan Joulfayan, Dr. Mary Johnson, Dr. Rose Gatens, V. Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian
Article: Tallahasse Democrat: Foreign Journalists Spending Time at Democrat
The Tallahassee Democrat
Foreign Journalists Spending Time at Democrat
By Ashley Ames • DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
Published: May 04. 2011 2:00AM
On April 22, two journalists from halfway across the world walked into the newsroom of the Tallahassee Democrat.
Ofelya Kamavosyan and Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu, both first-time visitors to the United States, are here for three weeks through the International Center for Journalist’s program, New Media, New Challenges: Turkish-Armenian-American Journalist Exchange Program.
Kamavosyan, who hails from Armenia, and Oztarsu, who is from Turkey, will be working as reporters at the Democrat.
ICJ’s program aims to develop professional skills and relationships between media professionals that will foster understanding, effective communication and collaboration between the three countries.
Kamavosyan and Oztarsu are hosted by Democrat staff for the duration of their stay, and at the end of three weeks their hosts will go to conferences in Turkey and Armenia to watch Kamavosyan and Oztarsu present on what they have learned. They are also working on a joint project for their presentation. Kamavosyan and Oztarsu are two out of 12 who were paired to participate in the program.
Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu, left, and Ofelya Kamavosyan are foreign journalists spending three weeks with the Tallahassee Democrat. (Photo by Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu)
Executive Editor Bob Gabordi said he is glad to have the Democrat participating in this partnership.
“We’ve had a long-standing relationship with ICFJ and have hosted journalists through the years from several former Soviet republics and Africa,” he said. “And now this is among the more interesting situations: two journalists from neighboring nations with a long history of distrust are here working together as a team.
“Their countries share a border that is closed to each other, and they have not had normal diplomatic relations for a very long time. Through their shared journalism and mutual respect, perhaps Mehmet and Ofelya can inspire progress. If we can be helpful by providing a common working environment, we are glad to do so.”
Ofelya Kamavosyan
I am an Armenian journalist working for the online daily armar.am. I also have worked for the daily Hayastani Hanrapetutyun (Republic of Armenia) for six years.
I have a bachelor’s in International Relations from Yerevan State University and a master’s in political science from Public Administration Academy of Armenia.
I previously worked at Armenpress News Agency as a correspondent. I cover both political and legal issues and events in Armenia.
I am 30 years old and this is my first time in the United States. During my first week with the Tallahassee Democrat, I have been impressed by the professional approach of the news staff and the extensive technical equipment available to the staff here.
This program is a good opportunity for us to learn how the American media operate, what are the differences and difficulties of our colleagues’ work. Everything is new for me here: the lifestyle, people, culture, nature and even English.
Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu
I am from Malatya, Turkey. I graduated from Baku Caucasus University with a focus on International Relations. I live in Yerevan and cover international politics for Turkish and Armenian media outlets.
I’m a co-author of “Nagorno Karabakh Conflict for 100 Questions,” an academic book for Qafqaz University. I have written another book, “Armenian Chronicles,” about my observations as a Turkish journalist working in Armenia. I am one of few Turks living in Armenia.
I am 25 years old and this is also my first time in the United States. It is a good experience for me. The style of journalism here, especially the business ethics, is very different from what I grew up with in Turkey.
I have found some Armenian people in Tallahassee and look forward to adding their observations to my book, “Armenian Chronicles.” It is scheduled to be published in the fall.
Armenian Assembly Discusses Impact of Armenian Genocide on Descendants
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY DISCUSSES IMPACT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ON DESCENDANTS
Florida Atlantic University Libraries Host Month Long Armenian Genocide Exhibit & Events
Washington, DC – As part of the ongoing Armenian Genocide exhibition at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Wimberly Library, last week two South Florida community activists discussed the impact of the Armenian Genocide on descendants of survivors, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). A capacity crowd attended the panel discussion which followed the screening of a 30-minute excerpt from the PBS documentary, “The Armenian Genocide.”
Marta Batmasian, a member of the Florida Department of Education Commissioner’s Task Force on Holocaust Education, shared her family’s experience in Turkey and the effects of the Armenian Genocide on her family. Assembly Grassroots Director Taniel Koushakjian, an FAU alumnus, discussed the formation of Armenian-American identity and the post-genocidal effects felt in the Armenian community in the United States.
“It was overwhelming to see the high level involvement of the South Florida Armenian community in support of Armenian and human rights issues,” stated Marta Batmasian.
“The Armenian Genocide” film and panel discussion was sponsored by the Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education (CHHRE) at FAU in conjunction with “The Greatest Crime of the War: Armenian Genocide During World War I,” an exhibition on display through Wednesday, April 27, at the FAU Wimberly Library.
Marta Batmasian, Taniel Koushakjian and Dr. Rose Gatens
The exhibition displays the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians in Anatolia during the middle of World War I, between 1915 and 1916. The story is told through 21 free-standing panels that showcase photographs, quotes from witnesses, and the history and legacy of the genocide. The events and the exhibition, which is on loan from the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, are being hosted by FAU Libraries as part of Genocide Awareness Month, an observance during April to increase awareness and prevention of genocides. The Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, the Bosnian, Rwandan and Darfur genocides occurred within the last 100 years and are all commemorated in the month of April.
“It is important for our community to learn about and memorialize the victims of the Armenian Genocide just as we memorialize and educate about the Holocaust,” said Rose Gatens, Ph.D., Director of the FAU Center for Holocaust and Human Rights on FAU’s Boca Raton campus. “Remembering strengthens our commitment actively to prevent and intervene against the continuing scourge of genocide today.”
The exhibit will close with a special guest lecture by Dr. Mary Johnson, Senior Historian with Facing History and Ourselves and curator of the Armenian Genocide exhibit, on Monday, April 25 from 7:00 – 8:00 pm. Following the lecture the Armenian Genocide Commemoration and Memorial service to all genocide victims will be conducted by clergy from St. David’s Armenian Church of Boca Raton and St. Mary’s Armenian Church of Hollywood.
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 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
Photo Caption (L-R): Marta Batmasian, Taniel Koushakjian and Dr. Rose Gatens
Florida Armenians 