ANCA Western Region raises $1.1 million for Hai-Tahd, from its supporters and benefactors, including a surprise joint donation from Eric Esrailian and Kim Kardashian.
The Western United States Armenian community recommitted itself to the Armenian Cause over the weekend by rallying around the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region, which hosted a Hai-Tahd weekend that included its Grassroots Conference and the return of its marquee event—the ANCA-WR annual banquet.
During the banquet, ANCA-WR chair Nora Hovsepian announced that the organization had raised $1.1 million for Hai-Tahd from its supporters, benefactors, and a surprise donation from Eric Esrailian and Kim Kardashian, who jointly received the organization’s “Global Impact” award.
A capacity crowd of nearly 400 people turned out for this year’s ANCA-WR Grassroots Conference at the Sheraton Universal hotel on Saturday.
The conference was dedicated to Artsakh and featured panelists and speakers, including Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan who presented a comprehensive and detailed account of the present-day challenges during a keynote address at the event’s luncheon.
Artsakh Deputy Culture Minister Lernik Hovhannisyan was joined by Professor Mashinka Firunts Hakopian in a panel entitled “Prevention of Cultural Genocide” that was moderated by scholar and expert Simon Maghakyan.
Later, Armenia’s former Human Rights Defender Dr. Arman Tatoyan presented a detailed account of Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenians in Artsakh and Armenia by presenting comprehensive proof of gross human rights violations, destruction and mutilations committed by Azerbaijani forces amounting to war crimes. This discussion was moderated by ANCA-WR Executive Director Sarkis Balkhian. Tatoyan was honored last year by the ANCA-WR with its “Champion of Human Rights” award.
Following the luncheon featuring keynote speaker Foreign Minister Babayan, a panel featuring legal experts who represent Armenia in various international tribunals tackled the complex work of advancing Armenian interests in the legal arena. Official representative of the Republic of Armenia to the international courts Dr. Yeghishe Kirakosyan was joined by two of the legal team members, Levon Gevorgyan and Karnig Kerkonian, as they presented a detailed account of current cases pending in the International Court of Justice and European Court of Human Rights against Azerbaijan and Turkey filed by the Republic of Armenia. The panel was moderated by attorney Garo Ghazarian.
More than 100 students from the Rose and Alex Pilibos, Ferrahian and Mesrobian high schools attended the Grassroots conference, which was generously sponsored by long-time community activists Sarkis and Nune Sepetjian.
The next day, on September 25, more than 800 community activists came together at the Beverly Hilton hotel for the ANCA-WR annual banquet, which due to the pandemic had not been held since 2019.
Receiving the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award was Rep. Jackie Speier who, as one of two Armenian-Americans in Congress, has championed and advocated Armenian issues during her tenure, which sadly will end this year as she has announced her retirement.
Just last week, Speier was part of the Congressional delegation headed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that visited Armenia to get a first-hand account of the current situation in the aftermath of the large-scale attack on Armenia’s sovereign territory by Azerbaijan on Sept. 13.
Ahead of the banquet, during a press conference, Speier announced her intention to introduce a resolution in Congress condemning Azerbaijan’s war crimes against Armenians and demanding international investigations and U.S. sanctions against Baku.
This year’s ANCA-WR banquet was sponsored by Varant and Hoori Melkonian, who, once again, demonstrated their dedication to the Armenian Cause through their unwavering generosity.
The roster of community activists and officials being honored by the ANCA-WR included an impressive array of luminaries who have dedicated their life to the Armenian Cause.
Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan received the ANCA-WR Freedom Award, while Rep. Adam Schiff was honored with the “Advocate for Justice” award. California State Senator Scott Wilk received the “Legislator of the Year” award, while Armenia’s legal team was honored with the “Advocates of International Justice” award, accepted on behalf of the team by attorneys Kirakosyan, Gevorkyan and Kerkonian. Receiving the ANCA-WR “Khrimian Hayrig” award was Rev. Berdj Djambazian of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America. This year, the ANCA-WR awarded NBA coach Rex Kalamian with the “People’s Champion” Award.
The ANCA-WR also honored its Education Committee, which has been on the forefront of advancing Armenian Genocide education in the Western United States. Also receiving a special recognition were the ANCA-WR interns—young Armenian-Americans who choose to work with the organization as it advances the Armenian Cause.
Asbarez will have complete coverage of both events in its upcoming editions
