The Voice of Armenians TV in New York (VOATV NY) held its second annual fundraising banquet on March 2 at the Palisadium in Cliffside Park, N.J. On this auspicious occasion, the television network’s board of directors honored Zarmine Boghosian, writer and principal of Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School; Dr. Herand Markarian, playwright, director, and actor; and this author, Harut Sassounian, publisher of the California Courier and president of the United Armenian Fund.
After opening remarks by Master of Ceremonies Haik Kocharian and welcoming words by VOATV Chairman Dr. Aram Cazazian, the honorees were introduced by Natalie Gabrelian, the director of Alternative Education, AGBU; Haroutiun Misserlian, educator and engineer; and Appo Jabarian, publisher of USA Armenian Life Magazine. Congratulatory remarks were made by Curator Vicki Shoghag Hovanessian and VOATV Executive Producer and host Karine Kocharyan.
In his acceptance speech, I shared with the 300 guests in attendance my deeply held convictions based on 40 years of political activism and community involvement. I expressed the hope that the recommendations outlined below would strengthen and empower Armenians worldwide:
1) Encourage the participation of women in every level of community activity. Since women make up 50 percent of the Armenian population, once old-fashioned obstacles are removed, Armenians can overnight double their overall resources and capabilities.
2) Involve the youth in all societal activities by assigning them special responsibilities, as they constitute the future of the Armenian nation. If Armenians today fail to transmit their achievements and activities to the next generation, all of their efforts would have gone to waste.
3) Treat every Armenian as a family member, regardless of personal disagreements or differences in social, political, and religious affiliation or country of origin. Armenians should relate to each other as equals. No distinctions should be made between Armenians from the diaspora and the Homeland.
4) Discard the Ottoman and Soviet mentalities inherited by some Armenians. Even though they left the Ottoman Empire long ago, and the Soviet Union more recently, it appears that the regressive influence of these mentalities has not left them.
5) Extend assistance to the people of Armenia and Artsakh, regardless of the differing views about their leadership. Presidents and prime ministers are temporary, while the Homeland is perpetual.
6) Strive always to form a coalition rather than cause dissension. Be a unifier, not a divider. Keep in mind the exhortation of prominent poet Yeghishe Charents: “O Armenian people! Your salvation only lies in your collective power.” Ideally, the Armenian Diaspora should have a democratically elected representation, bringing Armenians under a single umbrella by a popular vote.
7) Support all community organizations, be they social, cultural, religious, or political in nature, thus helping to ensure the survival of the diaspora. A powerful diaspora is the backbone of a strong and secure Armenia.
8) Reject feelings of helplessness and inferiority and eliminate all defeatist attitudes. Individually and collectively, Armenians can realize their legitimate aspirations, as long as they work together for the common cause. They can overcome all adversaries and adversities by remaining united and strong. If Armenians can put their domestic house in order, they can easily counter all external threats.
9) Finally, with the approach of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, Armenians worldwide—the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, as well as the diaspora—should rally around a single unified message about their demands from Turkey. Armenia and diasporan communities should not make separate and different demands, causing confusion among their supporters and adversaries. The single word that encapsulates all Armenian demands from Turkey is “Justice,” which encompasses moral, financial, and territorial restitution to the Armenian nation.
Harut Sassounian
The event was magnificent and Harut your comments could not have been so appropriate as vision and missions for all Armenians.
We need to ask more of organizational leaders to become much more inclusive rather than exclusive from spiritual, academicl to social leadership.
Let’s start encouraging regular forums of discussions, let’s get rid of the blinders and focus on the goals rather that a single solution.
God will smile on those that provide Unity of Spirit!
I feel sorry for Armenians, really do. They are stuck in a time warp and live 1915 as it was happening right now. You will never achieve your goals, because one you are not united in your cause and two nobody cares.
Unity is no more effective.Thaat word was injected into the Armenian fabric by adversary´s agents(Armenian speakling) using it such as ¨We Armenians will never unite¨ we Armenians are not united etc.,
No any political curent in Free european countreis , the major one FRANCE has its politicla parteis ,their offshoots in Unity.Each professes a different ideology,such as Socialist, Spocial Democrat, Democrat Christian democrats, communists,Maoists, Marxist, etc.,e t.c, etc. BUT..
THE C O OP E R A T E ,BECOME ONE FIST WHEN FACED WITH FOREIGN ISSUES .THEREFORE ,aRMNEIANS SHOUDL USE WORD AND ACT UAS SUCH,I.E., m i a p a n CO OPERATIVE.
As rgds achieving important feats and/or CAUSE-CASE…
1.Cause, definitely foremost is the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide!!!
But , not outright straight by great Turkey and or its supporters(mainly 2 Anglo Ams) BUT, as many as possible small ,BU many many countries.
2.Next,rather prior to the above(internally get geared up) become a Super Structure in Diaspora with a SUPREME COIUNCIL and with…………a
¨National investment Trust FUND¨-For without latter we cannot accomplish much. See what happend a week ago ,near week…in Paris France. at the Assemblee Nationale de France and then HONOURING THE massacred Azeris at Khojali ,of all placed at a PARIS FRENCH CHURCH!!!!!
MONEY TALKS indeed. Slo wwe need above TWO,before anything.
ADDENDUM!
Yes by getting more and more small,mid size countries to recognize the Armenian Genmocide, a much more feasible way than await ….
for the Twpo aforementioned to do so….they never will.Once we get all the 60 countreis (where RA as Embassies and /or Consultate) this according to Mr. Edward Nalbandian, Armenian FM, boasting on T.v. the other day-…
I believe so far only 20 something countries have done so.Don´t give that one-48 of the U.S. States have done so…or one in U.K.,Welsh…these are not States-Govt.s we n eed to go after those 40 others or 30 something Embassies, and rest consulates as Auxilliary ones…
The Turco Azeri Lobbying or thjeir organizations are aware that we are -like Harut once wrote- getting wind of our movements,¨SO DO NOT REVEAL WHAT WE ARE TO DO.¨.YES, BUT HOW????
bEST IS TO FIGHT THEM OUT ON THE OPEN.oTHERWISE OUR TRADITIONAL PEOPLE…<are they asking Like i am here to Gov.t of
REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA TO INSTRUCT THE FOREIGN MINSTRY, in extension to Mr. Nalbandian Edward to start that effort right away!!!
Those Embassies are kept there with the tax monies of our people in RA-already hard up, cash strapped. Or depending on a few benefactors here and there….
I tell you we do need A NATIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST FUND , to be established to foot thse expenses,from the interst on the capital to be invested therein….
Our other this that Fundlings are there and will multiply by the day…this is our mindset-character…I know a few and some that I have contributed to (small scale) but there they are and new ones sprouting up….
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Please see above , like those in France. Azeris especially are at it,as big brother is behind the curtaion , supposedly already European and civilized and does-like you have seen here on this Forum pretending to be defenders of Hiuman rights ,the police have hinted down the murderers of Hrant Dink this that old woman etc., etc.,.Whatever….whether through Axerbaijan with its EASY monies of the oil or their agents….they ar e gearing up .Where is our counterpart???
El pueblo unido jamás será vencido.