NEW YORK—On Sun., April 25, for the 25th year, thousands of Armenian Americans and non-Armenians against genocide will gather in Times Square from 2-4 p.m. to commemorate the first genocide of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide. The theme will be: “Turkey is the Question, America is the Answer.”
This historic event will pay tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who were annihilated by the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire (1915-23) and address the consequences that are still with us today.
Government leaders and the news media have been preoccupied with Turkish-Armenians relations and the closed borders in the Caucasus. Major political figures will speak along with civic, humanitarian, and educational leaders.
This event is sponsored by the Knights & Daughters of Vartan and co-sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian National Committee of America, Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, and the Armenian Council of America.
Participating organizations include the Diocese of the Armenian Church, Prelacy of the Armenian Church, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Missionary Association, Armenian Evangelical Union, Armenian Catholic Eparchy, and several national Armenian youth organizations.
Is this event,25th March, in New York, limited to Armenians only participating or non-Armenian sympathizers can participate too?
On a related matter, my late mother Fatemeh Khajeh Hasan (born?-died 1982) told me a story that I’ve been meaning to retell.
“Back when I was a child living in Shushtar, Khuzistan province of Iran, one night came a knock at the door. We opened the door. Several strangers appeared from the dark, said they were Armenians,and asked for food and shelter.We asked them to stay with us for the night.The next day they all converted to Islam, said their goodbyes and were gone.” That is all the details I recall of her tale.
Mom’s childhood would’ve coincided with early 20th century events, in my opinion. Before coming to US, I’d never heard of “Armenian genocide”.
Shushtar is and always has been an ultra Orthodox Muslim city. No Armenian that I know of has ever called it home although another group of Christians,Mandean (Sabian) running away from Ottoman Baghdad have sought refuge there (perhaps because of Shushtar’s many rivers-useful for baptism!).
Question: In the historical memory of the genocide, has there ever been a recorded instance(s) like the one in my mother’s Armenian story? If so i would like to know more.
Regards
Parviz Rastgaran
loftebavarsad@yahoo.com
The commemorative event in NYC is open to all, including Turks who have
Come to terms with their past and also those who want to know what their
Government has kept secret from them for almost 100 years.