Sheriff Peter Koutoujian Speaks at the Annual Commemoration of the Heroic Defense of Marash

Sheriff Peter Koutoujian holding is daughter at the annual commemoration of the Heroic Defense of Marash (1920)
Photo by Marash Girl

Honored guest Sheriff Peter Koutoujian spoke to over 200 people gathered in the hall of St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church yesterday remembering the Marashtsis who died in the defense of their city, remembering his father Peter Koutoujian who passed away a year ago, and remembering his grandfather who immigrated to the United States from Marash early in the 20th Century.  Sheriff Koutoujian assured the audience:  "Today we are all Marashtsis.  We remember and mourn the losses of our ancestors during those terrible days . . ."

                                            Also in attendance were Marashtsi cousins

                    left to right:  Ara Demirjian and Levon Charkoudian . . . Photo by Marash Girl