ALMA COMMEMORATES THE ARMENIAN, IRISH & UKRAINIAN GENOCIDES: "WE SHARE OUR PAIN"

This week, Armenians all over the world grieve the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923) perpetrated by the Young Turks, and continued by Kemal Ataturk, a genocide that is still denied today by the Turkish Government.  Yesterday, the Armenian Library Museum of America held a joint commemoration remembering all peoples who have been the victim of genocide, and this year specifically the Armenian Genocide, the Ukrainian Famine (read genocide) in the 1930's when Stalin deliberately held back food from the starving peoples of the Ukraine, and the Irish Potato Famine (read genocide) of the 1840's when the English deliberately held back food from the starving peoples of Ireland.  The event featured brief talks by Dr. Joseph Downes on the Great Hunger of the Irish People ("Irish Famine or Genocide -- You be the Judge"), Dr. Dikran Kaligian on the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide ("Denial and the Quest for Justice"), and Paul Rabchenuk on the Ukrainian Genocide.  Their talks were followed by a Ukrainian religious service with priest and  choir from St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Dr. Dikran Kaligian explains that the seeds of denial were sown even as the Young Turks committed Genocide against the Armenian people. Attorney Paul Rabchenuk, President of the Holodomor Remembrance Committee,  speaks on the Ukrainian Genocide, reminding us all that we are not Irish, we are not Armenian, we are not Urkainian, but rather Irish-Americans, Ukrainian-Americans, Armenian-Americans, and as such must speak out for the truth. Choir of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Choir Director, Eugene Moroz) participate in a religious service remembering those who suffered and died during genocide, a service led by Fathers Roman Tarnovsky & Hierdeacon Vasyl at the close of this event. "The Armenian Library and Museum of America firmly believes it fitting  to acknowledge and commemorate the suffering and deaths from all genocides."