If you don’t recognize genocide, you encourage it – public figure

PanARMENIAN.Net - If you don’t recognize genocide, you only encourage it, New Britain native, Harry Mazadoorian, active in Armenian causes and distinguished senior fellow at the Quinnipiac University School of Law Center on Dispute Resolution said.

Mazadoorian lost three grandfathers during the Armenian Genocide and all his father’s siblings. His father’s father came to America in the 1890s, then tragically returned to Turkey where he was killed in 1915. Mazadoorian says many scholars believe that genocide was a premeditated program to exterminate an ethnic minority group on the eve of World War I. However, Turkey dismisses evidence about the atrocities and calls them simply “allegations.” Although France, Greece and Russia have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, the Republic of Turkey denies that genocide was committed against the Armenians during World War I.

On Saturday, April 20, he and other Armenians in the area will attend the 98th annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration at the state Capitol.

Marc Mamigonian, director of academic affairs at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, will be the keynote speaker. The event will be held in the house chambers at the Capitol starting at 11:30 a.m.

A ceremony at 11 a.m. on the capitol lawn to raise the Armenian flag over the state Capitol building will precede the commemoration.

Announcement of the event was made by state Rep. Christopher Wright, D-Bristol, chairman of this year’s Armenian Genocide Commemoration.

In addition to the commemoration, there will be an Armenian Day Exhibit and Ceremony on Wednesday, April 24 in the North Lobby on the capitol building’s first floor at 11 a.m, The Bristol Press reported.