WASHINGTON (A.W.)—The United States capital will be buzzing with excitement next month, as several events are scheduled to take place celebrating the centennial of the Republic of Armenia and a century of the Republic’s relations with the U.S.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) of the Eastern U.S., with the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), and in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy of Armenia, has organized a special reception in Dirksen room G50 of the U.S. Senate Dirksen Building on Tuesday, June 26, to celebrate the centennial. The reception is scheduled for 6 p.m.
“We are excited to be hosting this important event. It will highlight 100 years of U.S.-Armenia relations, which began in the years of the First Republic. It will also be an opportunity for all of us to celebrate our nation’s independence, along with our friends in the U.S. Congress,” noted ARF Eastern U.S. Central Committee member and organizing body chair Hayg Oshagan.
An exhibit of key archival documents and photographs pertaining to the First Republic will take place during the event, as will a display of historical artifacts, paintings, and Armenian rugs. The program will consist of remarks by community leaders and the Ambassador of Armenia to the U.S. H.E. Mr. Grigor Hovhannissian, as well as statements by U.S. congressmembers and senators in attendance.
The day following the celebration, on Wednesday, June 27, community members from across the eastern U.S. will have a chance to participate in a one-day Capitol Hill advocacy campaign organized by the ANCA—the Armenian National Committee of America, the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots political organization.
“The event we are hosting in Washington D.C. for the centennial offers an opportunity for friends of Armenia and Artsakh across America to come to D.C. and to speak to their legislative representatives about issues that matter to the Armenian-American community,” noted Oshagan. Meetings with several congressmembers and senators are being scheduled for the advocacy campaign.
Wednesday, June 27, is also the day planned for the unveiling of a bust of Armen Garo (Garegin Pastermadjian)—who, between 1918 and 1920 served as the first ambassador to the U.S. from the First Republic of Armenia—to take place at the Armenian Embassy, followed by a reception hosted by the Ambassador.
Later in the day on Wednesday, a special panel discussion has been organized examining the 100 years of independence of Armenia, Poland, and Baltic nations, and their relations with the U.S. The panel will take place at the Institute of World Politics (IWP)—a graduate school of national security, intelligence, and international affairs in D.C. Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, Mr. Karl Altau, and Dr. Marek Jan Chodakiewicz are scheduled to participate in the panel with Dr. Hayg Oshagan moderating (details to be released soon).
Those who will be in D.C. to take in the centennial celebrations will also have the unique opportunity to participate in the 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which this year will highlight the cultural heritage of Armenia and Catalonia. The 2018 festival will kick off on June 27 with a special dinner reception, and a public opening on Thursday, June 28.
The festival will feature hundreds of artisans, designers, musicians, and cooks from Armenia, Catalonia and other locations to highlight the importance of cultural heritage enterprise in the face of change. Presented through 10 days of workshops, demonstrations, participatory experiences and discussion sessions, the “Armenia: Creating Home” program will allow visitors to learn about how Armenian communities have integrated heritage into their own strategies for economic and cultural sustainability.
“It’s going to be a unique time to be in D.C. and I urge our community to take part in this exciting series of events,” Oshagan noted.
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