High school and college students across the country were invited to address the question, “How can International Recognition of the Armenian Genocide Help Prevent Future Crimes Against Humanity?” in the 4th Annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration Contest co-sponsored by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan and Facing History and Ourselves.
A panel of distinguished judges selected 1st place winner, Brooklyn resident Jeremy Majerovitz, Stuyvesant High School, N.Y.; 2nd place winner, Brooklyn resident Gerald Nelson, Stuyvesant High School; 3rd place winner, Riverdale, N.Y. resident Samuel Levine, Stuyvesant High School; and honorable mention, Oradell, N.J. resident Katrice Karanfilian, Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, N.J.
The winners will receive their awards and be recognized at the 96th Anniversary Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide (Medz Yeghern) and Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShaoh) event to be held in Times Square (43rd & Broadway) on May 1, 2011 from 2-4 p.m. The theme of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration is “Turkey is Guilty of Genocide: Denying the Undeniable is a Crime.” This historic event will pay tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who were massacred by the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire and to the 6 million Jews who were annihilated by the Nazis.
National Grand Commander of Knights of Vartan Dennis R. Papazian and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Lehman College, CUNY, Mary A. Papazian will preside over the ceremonies. Professor of Armenian and Near Eastern History at UCLA Richard G. Hovannisian will be the keynote speaker. Other presenters will include civic, religious, humanitarian, educational, cultural leaders and performing artists. This event is free and open to the public, the Armenian Weekly reports.
