March
For Humanity Begins
Fresno, Calif. April 4, 2005
- Hundreds gathered at the Holy Trinity Armenian
Apostolic Church Hall in Fresno, Calif. on Friday, April
1 to mark the opening ceremony of the March For Humanity.
After welcoming remarks by Vicken Yepremian,
representative of the ARF “Soghomon Tehlirian”
Gomideh of Fresno, the Very Reverend Vrouyr Vartabed Demirjian,
representing Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
of the Western Preclacy; delivered a message from the
Archbishop and blessed the marchers.
Thereafter, the marchers were called to
the stage at which time they received a two-minute standing
ovation from the audience. Noushig Karpanian, of San Bruno,
Calif. read a statement sent to the marchers by California
Assembly Majority Leader, Assembly member Dario Frommer.
Addressing both the audience and the marchers,
Vicken Sosikian applauded the courage of the marchers
and reaffirmed that the youth is on the forefront of the
battle for proper recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Sosikian emphasized that the March For Humanity has become
the march of the Armenian people organized and led by
the youth.
After a second round of echoing applause
California State Assembly member Juan Arambula expressed
his best regards to the marchers commending their initiative.
Assembly member Arambula also spoke of the horrors the
Armenian people faced during the Genocide and reaffirmed
his support for the March For Humanity and justice for
the Armenian people worldwide.
Shant Baboujian, Armenian Youth Federation
Western Region chairman, delivered a powerful and moving
speech praising the marchers’ sacrifice and willingness
to make a difference in the Armenian Cause by using themselves
as a means. As they embark on their journey, Baboujian
asked the marchers to remind themselves of the pains experienced
by our forefathers during the Genocide and to turn to
the souls of the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide
as their source of guidance and strength.
Toward the end of the program, Dikran
Sassounian, ARF Western Region Central Committee member
and youth representative, saluted the marchers for their
sacrifice, willingness, courage, and political maturity.
Sassounian also spoke about some of the new means the
Turkish government is taking to deny the Genocide and
the important role the Armenian community and Armenian
organizations play in the quest for proper recognition
of the Armenian Genocide.
The following morning Genocide survivors,
community members and the marchers gathered at the Holy
Trinity Church where the Very Reverened Vrouyr Vartabed
Demirjian presided over the service and blessed the marchers
in their 19 day journey.
Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April
2, close to 50 marchers began walking from the Holy Trinity
Armenian Apostolic Church. At the end of their day Sunday
evening the marchers had already walked 36 miles. They
ended their day at the St. Joachim Church where they slept
in a room provided by the church.
The opening ceremony and Church services,
attracted many Fresno based broadcast and print media.
Armenian communities across the world
have already shown their support for the March For Humanity.
Television reports in Armenia, radio broadcasts in South
America, websites in Europe, and Armenian and non-Armenian
newspapers and television newscasts have already covered
the march and shown their solidarity with the marchers
in its first two days.
Many organizations and businesses
have also been very supportive of the march. Some of the
major supporters of the March For Humanity include, the
Armenian Relief Society, Western Region, ANCA Western
Region, Homenetmen Western Region, Adin of California,
Sunworks Tanning, GBH, Horizon Armenian Television, Asbarez
Daily Armenian Newspaper, Kerovision, and many more Armenian
businesses and organizations.
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For more information about the March For
Humanity, please visit www.marchforhumanity.org
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