Series of Centennial Commemoration Events to Be Held in RI

On April 24, Armenians worldwide will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This was a deliberate attempt by the Ottoman Turkish Empire in 1915 to extinguish the faith, culture, and identity of the Armenian people from the world.

The Armenian Martyrs’ Memorial Committee of Rhode Island, since its inception in 1972, has served as a unified voice for the local Armenian community in honoring the 1.5 million Armenians who were massacred. Over a year ago, a Centennial Committee was formed in Rhode Island, which included the 3 Armenian churches and 20 community organizations. The committee has organized a series of events and activities designed to remind the public of the atrocities committed and to celebrate the wealth of contributions that Armenians have made in every realm of society.

During the month of April, a display of Armenian culture and traditions at the URI Feinstein Providence Campus will be presented. Also in April, a historical, archival, and fine arts exhibit will be featured at Studio Z at Butcher Block Mill, 25 Eagle St., in Providence.

The Providence Armenian National Committee (ANC) and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) chapters will be sponsoring a forum at Brown University on Mon., April 6 at noon. The Rhode Island General Assembly commemoration will take place on Wed., April 8, from 3-6 p.m. at the State House Chambers.

On Sun., April 12, at 3 p.m., “A Tribute to Survival” Memorial Concert will be held at the Park Theatre, 848 Park Ave., Cranston, R.I. The Armenian Chorale of Rhode Island will be singing under the directorship of Maestro Konstantin Petrossian with a full complement of orchestra, accompanied by Mari Panosian. Guest artists include Gohar Manjelikian, Joanne Mouradjian, Kate Norigian, Debra Takian Pjojian, Elizabeth Souin, and Vagarshag Ohanian from New York. Musical instrumental selections will be played by David Ayriyan, kemancha, and David Gevorkian, duduk. The world-famous Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston, directed by Apo Ashjian, will perform during the second portion of the program. They are 43 performers and through their artistry will provide a powerful story of “Journey Through Time.” Master of ceremonies will be Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. This concert should not be missed. The Armenian Martyrs’ Memorial Committee invites the public to attend. The theatre seats 1,000 people. Admission is free; parking is also free and valet parking will be available..

Tri-colors will be displayed on the State House Dome during the week of April 17.

A Candlelight Vigil will take place on Fri., April 17, from 6-9 p.m., sponsored by the Rhode Island ANC and ARF, Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), and Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA). The vigil consists of a march to the State House with an outside cultural presentation.

The play “We Survived” will be presented on Sun., April 19, at 3 p.m. at the URI Feinstein Providence Campus.

On Mon., April 20, two films will be featured on the opening night of the SENE Film Festival, at Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, in Providence. Filmmaker Robert Davidian will be present.

On Wed., April 22, at 1 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m., “Armenia 100” will feature two performances of Armenian music and culture at Rhode Island College, Nazarian Center and Sapinsley Hall, in Providence.

On Fri., April 24, at 7 p.m., a Memorial Dinner will be held at the Omni Hotel in Providence, sponsored by the Providence ARF and ACAA, Inc.

On Friday morning, April 24, from 8:30-11:45 a.m., the 18th Annual Armenian Youth Day will take place at Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church, Egavian Cultural Center, located at 70 Jefferson St, Providence, R.I. All children are invited to attend. After a light lunch, the children will proceed to North Burial Ground, 5 Branch Ave., Providence, for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

On Fri., April 24, at noon, a special Divine Liturgy (Badarak) will be held at the Martyrs’ Monument in North Burial Ground, 5 Branch Avenue, Providence. The committee has invited the clergy, deacons, and choirs from the three Armenian churches, along with the entire community, guest clergy, and friends. Tents and chairs will be set up. Please take the time to attend this historic celebration of our Badarak with your families at the monument to remember our martyrs and survivors of 1915.

Bells will toll 100 times in many churches at noon on April 24. The Armenian flag will be flown in 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island on April 24.

The Armenian Martyrs’ Memorial Committee is also sponsoring 15 billboards during the month of April that will be seen in various cities and towns throughout Rhode Island. The committee is also helping coordinate a bus trip to New York City on April 26 to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Cathedral and participate in the Times Square Commemoration. With a generous donation from Aram Garabedian, 10 buses have been reserved and the public is able to travel for free; to reserve a spot, call your local Rhode Island Armenian church by March 15.

Two Armenian musical events were held on March 1 and March 6 at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College, respectively.

For more information, visit www.ammri.org.

Guest Contributor

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles or press releases written and submitted by members of the community.

3 Comments

  1. It brought tears in my eyes. My grandfather is also a survivor at the age of seven when they butchered his whole family in front of his eyes. He ran so fast into the wood , thru the deserts he eded up in the Armenian monastery orphanage in Jerusalem . The Emperor of Ethiopia then still a prince , Haile Sellasie visiting the monastery and listening to the little forty piece brass marching band , adapted and took them to Ethiopia to be the Royal Orchestra to play for him his first National anthem of Ethiopia . During Haile Sellasie’s coronation as “Emperor Of Ethiopia in 1933, the ” forty Armenian orphans survivors ‘ played the national anthem of every country represented at the coronation and refused to play the Turkish national anthem by saying ” We are not going to play the national anthem of a country that killed our fathers, ”
    Thanks God and proud that they did that . They were teen agers at that time . And after living in that country where my grandparents and parents are laid to rest I and my brothers live in U.S. and Canada.
    There is still some relatives left in Ethiopia with an Armenian population of around fifty people with an Armenian , church , school and a club still functioning.

  2. My grandmother, Seranoosh Der Haroutunian was born in Harpoort,Armenia in 1908. When Seranoosh was 7 years old, her family was killed before her eyes. She became an orphan and survived. Six generations later, we are a family that was to perish, but now thrive. Grandma called us, ” The burnt embers, that came up out of the ashes.”

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