Regional committees were created in the Armenian Diaspora to foster international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and coordinate the events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

In an interview with Hayern Aysor, Chairman of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Canada Committee Mher Karagashian recapped the events that have been held in Canada. By the decree of RA President Serzh Sargsyan, Karakashian was granted the Medal of Gratitude for his notable contributions to the proper organizing and holding of events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in Diaspora Armenian communities.

Beginning

The Committee started planning its activities in 2011 for the year 2015. At the time, we only had thoughts and ideas.

In 2012, we held our first meeting with representatives of the traditional Armenian political parties and two large benevolent organizations (ARS and AGBU) at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Ottawa. The goal was to engage everyone in our activities.

During the meeting, we outlined 45 goal-oriented programs in different sectors, including political, cultural, youth-oriented, ecumenical, educational and other programs.

The events were symbolically launched with the unveiling of a monument to the victims of the Armenian Genocie in Laval in 2013. It is a very beautiful monument that was sculpted by great artist and sculptor Arto Chakmakjian.

Later, another monument was unveiled in Vancouver, and this is how we began to take action.

In 2014, we launched the 100 Items for the 100^th Anniversary Program. The goal was to collect 100 items that had “survived” the Armenian Genocide. We hadn’t hoped to collect 100 items, but to our surprise, the number might grow. This program is still in progress, and we might end it in 2016. With their history, the “survived” items will be “summed up” in a virtual museum. Those who would like to donate their items to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute can donate, and we will bring those items to Armenia.

In 2014, the Morinari Quartet gave a concert at the hall of McGill University of Montreal. This quartet of foreign musicians is very popular in Montreal.

A month later, we showed Paret Maronian’s film “The Orphans of the Genocide” in central Montreal.

The principle for all of our projects was the same-our programs and projects must be mainly targeted at foreigners. This is why the venues for our events weren’t selected by chance.

The loops of the “chain” of our events slowly began to be set free.

One of our major achievements is the “Nations Having Experienced Genocide” alliance that we created in Montreal. We would now like to create such alliances in Toronto and Vancouver.

The alliance is very active in Montreal and brings together the Armenians, the Jews, the Rwandans and the Ukrainians.

The name of the alliance alone started opening many doors for us. When we used to present ourselves as Armenians, it was not too easy because we were alone. Now when you try to undertake an initiative with several communities, people start counting votes.

The alliance’s first event was the screening of the film “Those Examining the Sky” at the University of Concord. The film is devoted to Rafael Lemkin, who put the term ��?genocide’ into circulation. The film also presents the story of Soghomon Tehleryan.

In November, we held our fundraiser. We all understand that it is impossible to carry out any initiative without funding. We were able to raise $150,000 dollars in Montreal alone, though our activities require more funding.

In January 2015, we were joined by Toronto and Vancouver. We had decided to hold events in this or that city or in several cities at the same time.

We took a break due to reasons known to us all, but only in the summer. That served as another opportunity for us to prepare for the next milestone.

Months of importance

In March, universities of Montreal, Toronto, Windsor and other cities hosted conferences. Among the speakers was a Turk by the name of Fatek Mugeg Kucek, whose speech was devoted to reparations.

We also organized screenings of films devoted to the Armenian Genocide at different universities.

Our students organized a poetry contest with the title “Tehleryan-Lemkin” at the British Columbia University.

We organized an exhibition called “100 Years” in Toronto.

We launched the “100 Voices” Program during which young Armenians talk about or recite poems devoted to their ancestors having survived the Armenian Genocide.

The major platform for our events was the Corning Center, which is named after Sarah Corning. In the early 20^th century, the Canadian nurse visited Izmir and saved 5,000 orphans. She has become our symbol. On this occasion, we are preparing to issue a stamp that will be released in November or December. We want to remind Canadians about the humanitarian act that Canada carried out for a nation that experienced genocide.

If we were asked to sum up the events held in March, then we could place emphasis on the student conferences.

Of course, the Turks tried to make their voices heard, but they failed.

In April, the Municipality of Montreal organized a large event that included a speech by the mayor of Montreal. In front of several guests, the mayor reaffirmed the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and promised to place a flower in the shape of a Forget-Me-Not in front of the municipality. That “flower” has been “informing” passers-by about the Armenian Genocide for nearly 6 months now.

The major events held during the last week of April were the marches in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. The marches in Toronto and Montreal were not only dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, but were also against all genocides and were dedicated to the prevention of genocide.

The title of the march in Toronto was “March for Unity”, and the title for the march in Montreal was “March for Humanity”. The marches brought together the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Cambodians, as well as the people from Dersim and the Jews.

The Cardinal of the Catholics of Canada directed a large, open-air ecumenical ceremony that was held with the participation of the Prime Minister of Ontario.

April 24^th was a historic day in Ottawa. Nearly 10,000 people had gathered in the city. First, they held a commemorative ceremony in front of the parliament. Nearly 300 Turks tried to disturb the ceremony, but several hundreds of people can’t stand against several thousands.

On that day, the parliament passed a resolution that we had started drafting in December 2014. However, I must note that the Armenian National Committee of Canada had submitted a resolution before us in order to have April 24^th be remembered as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, but there hadn’t been any advancement. Restructuring the resolution, we proposed to have April 24^th be proclaimed as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day in Canada and have the entire week be proclaimed as Genocide Prevention Week. The parliament couldn’t reject this. If there is a day for remembrance of the Holocaust, why can’t there be a day for remembrance of the Armenian Genocide and not just a day of remembrance?

We started having meetings with our close friend and then Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney. We were working on two fronts. The Armenian National Committee was taking action with its funding, and the Committee was working with its own means. We were doing everything we could to succeed.

On April 24^th, all the stars lined up. It was as if a script had been written. We moved towards the Parliament, MP Brad Bat submitted the resolution, an after a half hour of discussions, the resolution was passed when we were already in front of the Turkish Embassy. We informed the people, who simply burst from joy. The Turks tried to disturb us, but in vain again. It was a day of victory for us, and several media outlets provided coverage.

Three weeks later, the Senate reaffirmed the resolution that had been passed.

In May, 10-12,000 people participated in the big march in Montreal. Among the participants were RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, French MP Valerie Buaye and other famous public and political figures.

The march was led by the mayors of Montreal and Laval.

It was an unforgettable day for us. We started marching from the monument placed in West Mount on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of Canada. After walking 3-4 kilometers, we reached the Center for the Arts Square where Homenetmen and AGBU Scouts had prepared a lay-out of the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial. After laying flowers near the “monument”, we headed towards the Plas des Arti Art Center, which accommodates 1,500 people. The hall was packed. During the event, the mayor of Laval conveyed his message, and Chris Alexander and others spoke on behalf of the Canadian government.

In May, we showed the film “Crossing” and “1915” in Toronto and Montreal.

It is safe to say that these were the major events and initiatives.

Publications

We published the book “Call from Armenia and the Role of Canada in the Armenian Genocide starting from 1895”, which serves as a permanent value. While we were conducting research, we found amazing materials in the Canadian archives. The book was published through a donation from the Basdrmajian Fund, and we sent copies to the President of the Senate of Canada, the Minister of Defense and other officials via His Holiness Aram I. We are currently working on the French translation of the book.

The Committee made a financial contribution for the publication of two other books.

Queens Publishing House of McGill University had set a goal to translate the book “Odyssey of the Genocide” printed by two journalists in France, but the publishing house financial difficulties, and so we provided our assistance and published the book in May.

We also helped publish the English version of Hasan Cemal’s book “1915: Armenian Genocide”.

We also published two booklets devoted to Canada’s role in the Armenian Genocide in Toronto and are currently planning to release the French version of those booklets.

Second milestone

We have already reached the second milestone. It all began with great Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki’s concert with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The concert was dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the end of the Second World War.

I must also add that we also organized a large concert with the Toronto Symphony Concert on April 23^rd. The concert included a performance by well-known singer Isabel Bayrakdarian and a speech by Atom Egoyan.

During the concert held at McGill University in September, foreign and Armenian singers performed the songs by all composers who had survived the Armenian Genocide.

In September, Toronto hosted an exhibition called “Memory”, which showcased nearly 60 sculptures and paintings devoted to the Armenian Genocide by Canadian-Armenian artists.

In early October, a theater for English-speakers presented a play devoted to the Armenian Genocide. The main character was a Rwandan woman, who was trying to find out how the Armenian Genocide took place. The play was created by Rahul Barman, who is of Indian descent.

In October, the “Armenian Stage” theater company presented the play “The Beast on the Moon”.

The end and a new beginning

In December, we will hold two major events that will mark the end of the year and will be the last of our programs and events.

On December 10, the Holocaust Museum of Montreal will host an exhibition devoted to Franz Werfel’s book “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh” and the history of the Armenians of Musaler. We have been working on this for a year. We have obtained quite a lot of photos from Anjar and the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and have conducted several studies. The exhibition will also include a roundtable discussion, among the participants of which will be Yair Auron, who has a monograph devoted to the book “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh”. The book entitled “The Impact of the Book ��?The Forty Days of Musa Dagh’ on the Jewish Resistance during the Second World War” includes stories that will give readers goose bumps. Eyewitnesses say the book “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh” has served as the “Bible” for the Jews’ resistance.

The event will include speeches by President of the Carnegie Corporation Vartan Gregorian, who played a major role in transferring the body of Franz Werfel to Austria, as well as co-founder of the Institution for Human Rights and Genocide Research at the University of Concord in Montreal Franz Jop. We want this exhibition to become a politicized event. We have sent invitations to the Ambassadors of France and Austria to Canada. The exhibition will run until late January.

The next major event will be Hasmik Papyan’s and Avo Koyoumjian’s concert on December 17^th.

In December, the Committee will officially end its activities. Of course, there are also many other events that will be held in 2016.

To sum up, what did the events of the Committee help accomplish?

All areas of Canada, as well as all newspapers and television networks provided coverage of our events.

We were everywhere in April. In the past, we would organize a demonstration on April 24^th, call and ask mass media outlets to come and provide coverage, and very often they wouldn’t come. This year they started to search for us and prepare reports.

This is itself a great success, and there was feedback not only in Canada, but abroad as well.

There are three Armenian Genocide survivors in Canada who are 102 years old, 104 years old and 106 years old. They were in the focus of the media. Everyone wanted to take pictures of them. We made special videos devoted to them.

One of our Committee’s members wrote an article that was reprinted in The Guardian. Thanks to that article, other journalists and media outlets are showing interest in the Armenian Genocide. This is all part of the loops of the chain that were connected to each other.

The statement by Pope Francis helped speed things up and drew everyone’s attention. We were on our path, but the Pope’s statement and Erdogan’s working style became our best “allies”.

We gave a strong slap to the Turkish community of Canada, which was doing everything it could to disturb us.

We were able to change our people and make them understand that the process of recognition is over and that now it is time to move on to the issue of reparations.

Suddenly, we Armenians of Canada became the frontrunners amongst other nations having experienced genocide. Canadians look at us with respect and expectations because they saw how strong and organized we are. Even the Jewish community, which is very strong and organized and has settled in Canada  a long time ago, looks at us as an ally because the Jews saw that if we Armenians want to, we can do many things.

We also applied a new “weapon”, and we saw the first response on April 24^th. When Turkey continues its denial and says there was no Armenian Genocide, and you tell the Turks that they have perpetrated the genocides of three nations, that is, the Assyrians, the Armenians and the Greeks of Pontos, that those genocides were against Christians or minorities and that the goal was to Turkify those nations, it will be harder to reject this approach.

This approach itself is a very powerful weapon, and we must not stop.

All these initiatives are achievements that can be considered tangible. However, the most important thing is that we need to maintain all this and not retreat. Going down to the plateau after reaching the peak would be a big mistake.

Lusine Abrahamyan