BERGEN COUNTY COMMEMORATES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Pictured: Commissioner Mary Amoroso, Commissioner Rafael Marte, Commissioner Germaine Ortiz, Knights of Vartan Grand Commander Hunan Arshakian, Matron Diroue Gloria Korkoian, Commissioner Tracy Zur

HACKENSACK, NJ – On Monday, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco and the Bergen County Board of Commissioners joined Armenian communities across the world in commemorating the Armenian Genocide. Sponsored by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan, the event was attended by community members, organizations, and parishes including the Armenian National Committee, Tufenkian Foundation, St. Leon Armenian Church, and the Armenian Presbyterian Church of Paramus.

April 24^th, 1915 is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, as it marks the first phase of the systematic extermination of the Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. Ottoman troops arrested and murdered hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders that day, then went on to deport and kill an estimated 1.5 million Armenians by 1923.

“We are called to remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide and understand this history together,” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. “We stand with the thousands of Armenians who call Bergen County home to honor all those whose lives were tragically cut short by hatred.”

The program featured many guest speakers including Knights of Vartan Grand Commander Hunan Arshakian, Dr. Antranig Kasbarian Development Director of the Tufenkian Foundation, and Armenian Genocide Survivor Anoush Krikorian’s poem recited by his great-granddaughter.

“The Armenian Community, known for their tenacity, has survived one of the worst atrocities of humankind. Their unyielding will and courage have enabled them to flourish in so many communities across the world, including here in Bergen County,” said Commissioner Germaine Ortiz. “It is our role to ensure the truth is spoken about history to prevent it from repeating itself.”

The call to action most speakers emphasized was the immediate threat to the peace and safety of Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabagh today.

“We gather to remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide even after 108 years to ensure it never happens again,” said April 24^th Committee Co-Chair John Shahdanian II, a member of the Bakradouny Lodge. “It is imperative that we call out the warning signs of another genocide as the Armenians of Artsakh live under blockade by Azerbaijan.”