March For Humanity Reaches
Final Preparation Stage

Los Angeles, CA March 18, 2005 — Less than three weeks from the start of an unprecedented display of solidarity for the 1.5 million forgotten victims of the Armenian Genocide, the organizing committee of the March For Humanity reported Monday that it has completed the planning and organizing phase of the 215 mile walk.

More than 40 Californians, 17 of which will walk the full 19 days, have registered as marchers, prior to the beginning of the main recruitment efforts.

“People of all age groups and many different ethnicities have shown interest in marching the 215 mile course. This coupled with the outpour of moral and financial support from dozens of communities including Central California, the Bay Area, Washington D.C., New York, and Boston; gives us the confidence that the March For Humanity will become the march of all justice loving people,” said Vicken Sosikian director of the March For Humanity. “The marchers’ heartfelt sacrifices show that even after 90 years of deceit, denial and distortion; the Turkish government must come to terms with its history and finally take genuine responsibility for the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.”

The march set to begin on April 2 in Fresno, Calif. will reach Sacramento on April 21, where march participants, human rights activists and Armenian American community members will gather for a rally organized to thank the California State Legislature and 36 other states’ legislatures for officially recognizing the Genocide. The “Rally For Humanity” will also promote public involvement in securing justice not only for the Armenian Genocide, but also for all unpunished crimes against humanity.

“The interest generated about the March For Humanity, on the internet alone, has already surpassed our pre-march expectations,” said Serouj Aprahamian coordinator of the March For Humanity. “Thousands have visited www.marchforhumanity.org, the official site of the march, hundreds have completed action alerts and websites, blogs, message boards, and discussion groups from as far as Europe, the Middle East and Armenia have been buzzing with talk about the March For Humanity.

Aprahamian, a full distance marcher, says that the Armenian people living in the Turkish Ottoman Empire suffered unspeakable and unimaginable horrors; that this is the least the youth can do to show its solidarity.

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For more information about the March for Humanity, visit www.marchforhumanity.org or call (818) 507-1933.

Media Contact:
Serouj Aprahamian (818) 507.1933

Vicken Sosikian
(818) 419.5157

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