GLENDALE — Truth And Accountability League (TAAL) will commemorate the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24 in Glendale, honoring the memory of 1.5 million victims and recognizing distinguished leaders for their contributions to advancing human rights and combating discrimination.
The event is presented by Golden State Bank and underwritten by attorney and philanthropist Mark Geragos, who also serves on TAAL’s board of directors. TAAL Remembrance & Honors: Armenian Genocide Commemoration & Awards will take place on Friday, April 24, from 7:30 p.m. to 9: p.m. at the Glendale Central Library Auditorium, 222 East Harvard St.
The commemoration is free and open to the public. It will include speeches by dignitaries, a pre-program reception, and an awards ceremony to recognize high-profile public figures who exemplify public service, visionary leadership, and empathy.
The honorees will be: Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA-30) , journalist Ana Kasparian, former West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne and artist Arpi Jinbashian Krikorian.
“It is both tragic and unacceptable that, more than a century after the Armenian Genocide, we continue to witness mass displacement, ethnic cleansing, and the erasure of indigenous peoples around the world,” said Vic Gerami, founder and chair of TAAL. “The forced displacement of Armenians from Artsakh is not an isolated event, but part of a broader pattern of injustice that persists today. Once again, Armenians were left alone as their ancestral homeland was emptied, met with silence from much of the international community, including governments, NGOs, and the media.”
“The Armenian Genocide claimed the lives of more than 1.5 million men, women, and children, and we are only able to understand the full weight of this atrocity through the testimonies of survivors — many of whom rebuilt their lives in Southern California, including in Pasadena in my district, home to the country’s oldest Armenian American community,” said Chu. “That is why I fought so hard to pass the House resolution that finally acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, and why I stand with the Armenian people who continue to be displaced from their homeland. We owe it to those who were lost, their children, and their grandchildren, to honor their history with the dignity and recognition it deserves.”
