armenian genocide commemoration committee we welcome you all to the hundred and thirty anniversary commemoration of the armenian genocide my name is michael the merchant and with me to my fellow culture for the weekend so  we call to you holy martyrs angels with an earthly body holy advocates in witnesses you completed your lives in death by the sword your commemoration on this rousing feast is like the stream of your hear us from your holy and heavenly realm by the intercession of the holy mother of god by the prayers of all your saints especially the holy martyrs who gave their lives during the armenian genocide for the name of christ for their faith and for the fatherland he writes lord and show us your mercy forgive me demon pardon our sins make us worthy thank me to glorify your with the father and with the holy spirit now and always  unto ages of ages  need for those who are present yesterday the state else our first speaker is certainly no stranger to the podium born and raised in central mass by his parents representative david brady in attendance sudden high school and played on their baseball and basketball teams he also serves the community and was a role model to younger generations as an instructor for a north wrist park in a recreation program he then went on to attend was for state university where he earned a being communications benefits feel a sense and health care coverage that position provided days with invaluable opportunities to build relationships and gain knowledge which have been instrumental during his time in office five metro a suburban community commission which explores development challenges good afternoon my friends it's an honor to join you here today and obviously we know why we're here and it's a somber moment i also received some somber news this morning a good friend to the armenian community representative james miss sally from wilmington thank you thank you for inviting me to take part in the ceremony today the commemoration of the one hundred third anniversary of the armenian genocide i first want to think michael sorrow and everyone else on the boston armenian genocide committee who meet yesterday in the house chamber as well as today here in the green way possible the undertaking to put together events like these and the committee deserves the death of her attitude so thank you i also want to thank each and every one of you who took your time to come here today i'm sure many of you have busy schedules they're pulling you know million different directions and it's humbling that you are here to stay in solidarity recognizing those ar martyrs who lost their lives like our schedules are configured to fully pull us apart there's a beautiful sculpture here just to your left or right behind each of the sculptures pulled apart by a korean chieftain to a new for  go ahead destroy your meaning see if you can do it send them into the desert without bread or water or in their homes in their churches then see if they will not laugh sing or pray again for when two of them imagine but we owe it to those same people to continue to stand here proud now proud is a difficult word to say when the context of the genocide commemoration we should be proud not because of the past of course not  because those ancestors relatives family and friends who count of us for being here today proud of what we have made ourselves as we continue survive we continue to thrive proud that we have a duty incumbent on all of us to educate so that history does not repeat itself proud that will continue to honor those that we lost continue to fight for what is right which is the president of the united states and countries all around the globe recognizing that millions of armenians being children exile wasn't just a tragedy or a travesty it was a genocide and also recently visit his real in the old city of which there are four porters if you don't know the four corners of the old city there's a jewish quarter a christian quarter a muslim quarter and an armenian quarter i was able to bring my colleagues here with me to a restaurant in the armenian quarter walking in we certainly weren't american in the us we were greeted in english while my armenian is not quite up to speed to hold a conversation after we sat down and looked at the waiter that we write are only are there we were coming together it didn't matter that we were visitors in forums and that i was sitting there looking at armenian jews who lived lives completely different than mine or yours in are is completely different than mirrors i realized the transcendent beyond that we shared it was their point that we all have as armenians and i can distinctly remember sitting there thinking i have never been more proud to be armenian thank you and god bless each and every one of you of bringing the world of music to armenian children from schools in the greater boston area cd los released in two thousand and nine was produced in the year in the usa and nominated as best choral album of the year just because another concert performances in europe canada great britain and the united states teaches them to be honorable people and just them problem solving skills to make them successful members of society sometimes there's many performances choices the opening act at the end on which are shut down concerts in two thousand and twelve their christmas concert in two thousand and a bachelor of arts degrees in english and literature philosophy religion and a minor infraction language and literature from the university of north dakota she received her doctorate degree from the university of maine school of law during her time at the university received an outstanding lawsuit to hear award in two thousand and four and i was one of the first americans to clerk at the international criminal court in hague netherlands after working towards the end of serving the i  creation at the united nations in new york good afternoon i'm incredibly thankful to the boston community for inviting me here to speak today coming all the way with my family from our friendly neighboring maine today with commemorating their hundred thirty i never see  genocide the distant event so closely tied to what we do as a people and who we are this year we also commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of some kind massacres of armenian population of my son by john two events brought me here to united states as a refugee and they are closely tied to each other i was born in baku my parents were born in baku my grandparents came to the going search of work after world war two but our history in the region started much earlier my grandfather escaped the armenian genocide in one thousand fifteen and fled to baku and the age of four with his sister on the way there they saved a two year old nationalities doctrine and there was no mention of genocide or massacres of armenians he returned to the court and started a family and forty years later his granddaughter me survived the same massacres of armenians i sed our story isn't unique what i want you to take away from my story is that massacres ethnic cleansing loss of property loss of dignity loss of life happened in my family three times and make it four times even after his death my grandfather is survivor of genocide survivor of massacres a world war two veteran was violated yet again his grave along with my grandmothers and all of my relatives were demolished as were all armenian cemeteries advised people often beautifully cleansing of and genocide as  massacre from iraq a massacre or arts our children targeted the way by snipers i experienced genocidal hatred and violence with my own eyes and with my own body at eleven years old genocidal ideology is alive and well today it is the cancer of humanity we must eradicate it is the anti armenians and ciena for the ideology that plagues the region for centuries formula of genocide is brewing to armenia east a few hundred miles away from our armenian capital with civilians mutilated in a very familiar to us manner today we turn our hearts away from our past to matter how painful it is difficult to remember but it is painful and even deadly to forget lack of justice lack of information lack of commemoration lack of unity lack of participation lack of collaboration with other communities with similar histories will bring about another massacre i guarantee you we must keep talking we must keep writing and singing we must keep creating but most importantly most importantly we must keep demanding we must always remember for the in the sense souls of victims of the armenian genocide and their resilient descendants for the families of baku armenian thank the families of baku armenians whose lives are shattered or spread across the world making the best of what they have for their future and its incredible victories and for our babies for my babies for your bab because we aren't going anywhere thank you member of the newly formed a y s middlesex county west chapter in this survey his second term on the executive body is also on track and field team are best for high school and as a member of the art schools i mean club is western armenian translations of two of william saroyan short stories were published in two thousand and fifteen by the so same alan foundation his english translation of and united in our demands real justice for the armenian genocide not mere recognition but reparations and restitution from the government of turkey thank you for minding us of the importance of unity and especially in armenia i like to take a moment to just recognize a good friend of the park who has joined us today middlesex county sheriff thatcher peter also serves as an honorary coach or on the board of trustees for the park fifteen in crimes against humanity through music and fashion is compelling songs open wounds and the now globally recognized our wounds are still open nine hundred fifteen t shirts organically grew into a worldwide movement supported by many celebrities respected industry friends and most important the people who wanted to stand up for justice the movement led to the formation of open wounds a nonprofit bearing its name empowering t to use their voice and their resources to fight crimes against humanity and went on to obtain a doctor pharmacy degree from palm island a university during his schooling he continued recording and developing can self as an art but chose to stop working as a pharmacist to instill people through music and not medication thank you army for using the power of music and pop culture to represent our nation's ploy and struggle for recognition as many of you here today have likely noticed we use armenians or nation time and time again i have been subject to tragedy and triumph but at the end we not only survive if we continue to tell our stories so that they may never be forgotten is i've heard through my involvement in the armenian community here bus we must not only tell our story we must amplifier a collective message only through our unified action will our beloved saints be owner only through continue to activism will or a voice be heard armenians have contributed incredibly to american society especially here in boston those restamp in this very park here today why stop now our generation is making waves and it is up to each and every one of you here to join hand in hand regardless of anything to support each other for the greater cause as an active member of the boston armenian community i'm grateful for this week an opportunity i'd like to think a moment termite are members of our community as to why it's important to come together think this commemorative time each year with multiple different organizations churches it within our community it is significant that each individual holds his and her own beliefs but it is also vital we stay together during this time one hundred three years ago when the ottoman empire murdered to one point five million armenians they did not question which political party organization or church they belong to it they made it for one reason and one reason only because we were armenian so as you ought to stand together as one in honor of our  i start touching on working with you know each and every one if you has been an interesting experience and i look forward to continuously joining forces with the use of our community and bring our heritage together and call a cultural life thank you thank all of those who contributed to this event notably our sponsors which include numerous organizations and churches in the greater boston area lastly we'd like to thank all of you for joining us here today standing here at the armenian heritage park united against genocide buses will be arriving shortly please feel free to mingle and enjoy the beautiful weather here in armenian heritage park but it will be here soon thank you