The 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide Commemorative events in Colorado begins on April 21, 2005 7:00 PM. The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society's ACC Chapter with co-sponsor Armenians of Colorado will host The Greatest Crimes of the 20th Century: Genocide/Holocaust Commemoration. Ken Allikian an Armenian/American, whose parents survived the genocide, will be the guest speaker as well as Walter Plywaski, a Holocaust survivor and scholar. Phi Theta Kappa chapter president Simon Maghakyan will present briefly on the cultural genocide that destroyed thousands of Armenian churches and historical monuments in historic Armenia, at the Arapahoe Community College Waring Theatre 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, Co 80160.

On Sunday April 24, 2005 at Noon Armenians of Colorado Inc. will host the Commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the Memorial Plaque located in the N.E. Quadrant of State Capitol grounds. Guest speakers will include State Senator Lois Tochtrop and Speaker Andrew Romanoff. The community is invited to participate in a joint commemorative church service at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church beginning at 2PM. There will be clergy from both the Armenian Apostolic Church of Denver and from the Armenian Apostolic Church of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region. Following the service there will be a reception of coffee and sweets. At 4:00 PM Armenians of Colorado is proud to present a talk with Tatul Sonentz-Papazian, long-time Armenian National Committee activist and Armenian Relief Society International Office Publications Director and Editor of "Hai Sird", the multi-lingual periodical of the ARS. Mr. Papazian is also the recipient of the St. Mesrop Mashtots Medal by Catholicos Aram I, for meritorious contributions to the promotion of Armenian culture in the Diaspora. The talk will be held in the church cultural center 4610 E. Alameda Avenue Denver, Colorado 80246. For directions and more information please visit www.armeniansofcolorado.org

Armenians of Colorado Inc. was established in June 1980, as a 501(
c) (3) non-profit, cultural organization. Its purpose is to create a cohesive Armenian community and to further the understanding of Armenian history, culture, and heritage. AOC actively supports issues and concerns of the Armenian/American community here in Colorado as well as those identified within the Armenian Diaspora throughout the world. AOC represents the interests of over 1000 Colorado Armenian residents accounting for over 300 Armenian families throughout the state.

Text of the Joint State Resolution is as follows:

Concerning Remembrance Of The Armenian Genocide From 1915 To 1923 On April 24, 2005, And Every Year Hereafter, As "Colorado Day Of Remembrance Of The Armenian Genocide".

WHEREAS, This year marks the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide when 1.5 million men, women, and children of Armenian descent were victims of the brutal genocide perpetrated by the Turkish Ottoman Empire from 1915-1923; 500,000 more were exiled, and 500,000 were able to escape the regime of terror and establish themselves in new foreign lands, and, as a result, today there are only 100,000 people of Armenian heritage left residing within the borders of modern Turkey; and

WHEREAS, The United States' Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry Morgenthau, Sr., stated, "Whatever crimes the most perverted instincts of the human mind can devise, and whatever refinements of persecutions and injustice the most debased imagination can conceive, became the daily misfortunes of this devoted people. I am confident that the whole history of the human race contains no such horrible episode as this. The great massacres and persecutions of the past seem almost insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian race in 1915. The killing of the Armenian people was accomplished by the systematic destruction of churches, schools, libraries, treasures of art, and cultural monuments in an attempt to eliminate all traces of a noble civilization with a history of more than 3,000 years."; and

WHEREAS, Contemporary newspapers, such as the New York Times, carried headlines including "Tales of Armenian Horrors Confirmed", "Million Armenians Killed or in Exile", and "Wholesale Massacre of Armenians by Turks"; and

WHEREAS, The Armenian Genocide has been acknowledged by countries and international bodies such as Argentina, Belgium, Canada, the Council of Europe, Cyprus, the European parliament, France, Great Britain, Greece, Lebanon, Russia, the United Nations, and Uruguay; and

WHEREAS, Modern Turkey continues to deny and distort the facts of the genocide and to honor the perpetrators of that crime against humanity as national heroes; and

WHEREAS, The Armenian people have been denied the right to self-determination on their ancestral lands and have received no form of reparations for their tragic loss; and

WHEREAS, Each year, Armenians throughout the world honor those who perished from 1915 to 1923, and all the world's people should commemorate the Armenian Genocide and condemn any attempt to deny its historical truth or mischaracterize the episode as anything less than genocide, a crime against humanity; and

WHEREAS, We must all do our best to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide not only because it is an undeniable chapter of world history, but also because learning more about this unconscionable tragedy will help people better understand the necessity of eliminating hatred in our own communities; to that end, we support the efforts of Armenians of Colorado Inc. to encourage the educators in Colorado to include the Armenian Genocide in the school curriculum.

WHEREAS, Residents of Colorado are highly sensitive to the need for consistently remembering and openly condemning the crimes committed against any culture or people to prevent similar atrocities in the future; and

WHEREAS, For three consecutive years this legislative body unanimously passed a similar joint resolution in which the roll calls were added as co-sponsors designating April 24 as "Colorado Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide"; and

WHEREAS, Armenian-Americans living in Colorado have greatly enriched our state through their leadership in business, agriculture, academia, government, and the arts; now, therefore,

1. That this legislative body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide to be recognized at a memorial service on Sunday, April 24, 2005, at the Armenian Genocide memorial plaque located in the northeast quadrant on the State Capitol grounds;

2. That we, the members of the General Assembly, hereby acknowledge April 24, 2005, and every year hereafter, as "Colorado Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide";

3. That the State of Colorado respectfully urges the United States Congress to likewise commemorate the Armenian Genocide.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States; the members of the Colorado Congressional Delegation; the Honorable Bill Owens, Governor of Colorado; the Armenian Assembly of America in Washington, D.C.; and the Armenian National Committee in Washington, D.C.