Washington DC Council unanimously passes Armenian Genocide resolution
Councilmember Charles Allen led the ANC-DC-backed measure emphasizing Armenian Genocide education
WASHINGTON—Today, for the first time since its initial recognition in 2019, the Council of Washington, D.C., unanimously recognized the Armenian Genocide, emphasizing the importance of educating D.C. residents about the crime. The ceremonial resolution, led by Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, was adopted by unanimous consent, 12-0.
In the resolution, the Council recognized the deaths of over 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 through 1923 as Genocide and noted the unique role that the District of Columbia had in alleviating the mass suffering perpetrated by Ottoman Turkish authorities. This included having the third largest Near East Relief Committee in the nation at the time, as well as having a storied and active Armenian American community.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we thank Councilmember Allen for leading this initiative and the entire D.C. Council for its unanimous adoption. This is yet another example of D.C. standing on the right side of history,” stated ANC of Washington D.C. Chair Matthew Girardi. “As a global human rights city, we must continue to recognize genocide and ensure that our public schools teach it properly. That is exactly why we have launched an initiative to ensure our Superintendent takes Armenian Genocide education seriously.”
Notably, the resolution not only reaffirms D.C.’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide and designates April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, but it also stresses the need for informing citizens about the horrors. Community advocates present in the room were thrilled. As such, the resolution will immediately be transmitted to the executive branch, including the Mayor, Chancellor of Public Schools and Superintendent of Education.
The ANC of Washington, D.C. had launched an action just two weeks earlier, urging the D.C. Superintendent of Education to fully uphold the letter and spirit of the resolution by ensuring a comprehensive genocide education curriculum is taught to DCPS students, including the 1915 Armenian Genocide and 2023 Artsakh Genocide.
“Teaching about the Armenian Genocide and the recent ethnic cleansing in Artsakh is not only historically accurate—it is a moral imperative,” urged advocates in letters to Acting State Superintendent Dr. Antoniette Mitchell.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit https://marchtojustice.org/dc-
The full text of the D.C. Council resolution is available at:
https://anca.org/assets/pdf/
