Armenian Genocide Week marks the importance of remembering Armenia’s past
Students part of Chapman’s Armenian Student Association spoke about what this year’s Armenian Genocide Week meant to them and how it remains relevant in this day and age. Photo by KIANA KALAHELE, News Editor
April 24 marked Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, which commemorated and remembered victims of the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian Genocide started in 1915 and lasted until late 1916 and was perpetrated by the then-Ottoman Empire. The event is marked as one of the first genocides of the 20th century and remains remembered by Armenians throughout the world.
According to Daniel Boudagian, a senior data science major and one of the presidents of Chapman’s Armenian Student Association (ASA), the club remembers the Armenian Genocide by “setting up displays, distributing posters, utilizing social media and hosting events like film screenings and candlelight vigils.”
“The Armenian community strives to ensure that the atrocities of the past are not forgotten and that their impact is acknowledged,” Boudagian told The Panther.
Armenian Genocide Week was organized at Chapman by ASA during the week of April 22. The week had a variety of different activities to remember the genocide, such as a commemoration on April 24 at the Fish Interfaith Center. Another event held was a screening of “The Peace of All,” which took place on April 23 in the Marion Knotts Studios.
“I was and am still extremely proud of the ASA board for putting so much effort into event planning,” said Talar Kazanjian, an Armenian senior studying political science and economics. “Having an incredibly supportive community and board made me feel seen and heard in a time of crucial loss to the Armenian community and nation.”
Much of the importance of this year’s Armenian Genocide Week stems from the ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan. Most prominently, in September of last year, 120,000 ethnic Armenians were forced to leave a region of Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh, due to fears of ethnic cleansing by the country. It is the hope of those in ASA that this week will not only remember the past, but also bring further light to the plight of contemporary Armenians.
“Personally, I love how that week's agenda gets people to ask questions and learn more about the Armenian culture, history and see what they can do to help,” said Angie Mitilian, a sophomore public relations, advertising, and entertainment marketing major involved with the ASA. “Advocating for the Armenian cause alongside our fellow Chapman Armenians is so important, and that week's agenda showed the power we have in our voice.”
The week did not go without incident, however, as ASA told The Panther about an incident that occurred on April 23. Around 10 p.m. that night, a couple walking by ASA’s public display picked up several Armenian flags and threw them in a nearby trash can. Chapman’s Public Safety reportedly managed to find the couple, and when questioned, they expressed that they believed the flags were “hate speech.”
“We had been planning for this week for weeks in advance, investing a lot of thought and effort into every detail,” Boudaigan said. “It required extensive coordination and teamwork to set everything up, and it demanded a significant amount of time and sacrifice from everyone involved.”
Regardless, the success of this year’s Armenian Genocide Week allowed Chapman students to learn about the struggles of Armenians in both the past and present. It provided a valuable opportunity to draw attention to a group of Chapman students whose experiences often don’t get touched upon. Chapman’s ASA still runs events throughout the year, especially related to the aforementioned current events happening between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“During this threat to our homeland, the people of Armenia resist,” Mitilian said. “And our job here is to stand behind them and show that our resilience is our defense.”
“I was and am still extremely proud of the ASA board for putting so much effort into event planning,” said Talar Kazanjian, an Armenian senior studying political science and economics. “Having an incredibly supportive community and board made me feel seen and heard in a time of crucial loss to the Armenian community and nation.”