Traditional Armenian Costumes at the National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, Washington, DC.

l. to r.  Raffi Charkoudian-Roger, Lorig Charkoudian, and Aline Charkoudian-Rogers, model traditional Armenian dress on Friday, May 8, 2015, at the National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, Washington, DC.  [The folks pictured above are descendants of Marashtsi genocide survivor Peter Bilezikian and 1st generation Aintepsi Armenian American Lucille Mae (Jennie) Vartanian Bilezikian, and Marashtsi genocide survivor  Azniv Sanjian Charkoudian and Marshtsi Armenian American Nishan Charkoudian ]

Yesterday King R and Enila went to the Centennial Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in Washington, DC.  King R and Enila and their mother Girol, dressed in traditional Armenian costume and paraded through the Marriot Marquis, contributing to the centennial commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, the commemoration that will continue through to Sunday in Washington, DC, and throughout the year 2015.

King R says of the experience, "Those cloth Armenian shoes from the 18th Century were really comfortable!" Enila says, "The traditional Armenian costume was surprisingly comfortable, and I felt like a queen wearing it."  They both agreed that "it was super fun."  Girol said that everyone was asking them who they were, where they had come from, and if they were a dance troupe from Hayasdan!