Dr. Davit Babayan, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Artsakh, will be the keynote speaker at a public forum hosted by the Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States. The event will take place on Monday, September 26, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America in Burbank, California.
Dr. Babayan has been invited to the United States by the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region. Babayan, who from 2005 to 2007 served as an adviser to the president of Artsakh and as presidential spokesperson, will head a delegation to the United states to meet with Congressional and state leaders. He will also participate in the ANCA-WR Grassroots Conference and receive the ANCA-WR 2022 Freedom Award at the Annual Banquet in Los Angeles. Babayan’s itinerary will include meetings with local, state and federal officials, think tanks, academic and policy institutions, community representatives and the press, with the aim of raising awareness about the increasing tensions in the Republic of Artsakh and the threat posed to Armenia’s sovereignty.
In his presentation at the Western Diocese, it is anticipated that Dr. Babayan will provide the public with an insightful presentation about the current state of affairs in the Republic of Artsakh in the context of the devastating 44-day war of 2020. Furthermore, he will offer a glimpse of Artsakh’s push for self-determination and the government’s future plans regarding redevelopment and growth.
As the Armenian Homeland faces an existential threat due to the ongoing Azerbaijani aggression, Babayan’s involvement in Artsakh’s government for many years and extensive knowledge of the geopolitical landscape of the region will offer an invaluable and timely opportunity to enlighten the Armenian American community and American policymakers for the benefit of the Armenian Nation.
In 2021, Babayan appealed to multiple international organizations including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE Minsk Group to demand the release of Armenian civilians and soldiers being illegally held captive as prisoners of war in Azerbaijan. His thoughtful letters underscored the fact that the actions of the Azeri government were a
direct violation of Article 4 of the Geneva Convention and that their holding and mistreatment of prisoners was a gross violation of international law.
Moderator of the Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States, Lena Bozoyan, stated: “We are so honored and fortunate to be able to host this event where our very distinguished guest, Dr. Davit Babayan, will be addressing the concerns and questions of our community members regarding the plight of their brothers and sisters in the Republic of Artsakh. We encourage the community to attend.”
Admission to the public forum is free. the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Of North America is located at: 3325 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91504.
The Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States of America was founded in Burbank, California in 2019 and comprises of 25 organizations, the largest religious, political, cultural, and professional organizations of the Armenian community. Through the Council, these entities strive to fulfill the organization’s mission statement, which is to implement and realize projects of pan-community nature; to encourage and assist projects which advance the collective interests and the rights of Armenian communities across the Western United States; to undertake steps to resist actions and efforts which are contrary to the collective interests and rights of Armenians; to gather and utilize the Armenian community’s resources for the benefit of the community’s interests, as well as the welfare of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh; to always be mindful of the collective health and protection of the Armenian community.
