The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) is pleased to announce that Aram Martirosyan has been selected as the inaugural Impact Media Institute Genocide Prevention Fellow.

The Impact Media Institute is an upcoming initiative of the ANC-WR that aims at exposing and confronting the perpetration and denial of genocide in the world today by elevating the public’s understanding and response to atrocity crimes globally. The Impact Media Institute combines comprehensive genocide reporting and risk analysis, inclusive coalition-building, and media monitoring and fact-checking to raise awareness of and give voice to communities that have experienced and continue to suffer atrocity crimes today.

“We are excited to welcome Aram Martirosyan as the inaugural Impact Media Institute Genocide Prevention Fellow. Aram brings with him an exceptional background in independent research, a passion for human rights and justice, and the determination to make a powerful impact in the field of genocide prevention,” remarked ANCA-WR Communications Director Alex Galitsky.

Aram graduated from Hampshire College with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Economy in 2020. His senior thesis dissected the clash of US and Russian foreign policy in Northern Syria and its impact on the Syrian Kurdish population. After graduating, he took an online course at the Russian-Armenian University called “Armenia and the World: Building a Sustainable Future” that explored the foreign policy priorities and interests of Armenia.

In addition to his academic background, Aram has a wealth of experience in research and advocacy, having worked for Oxford Analytica, the National Council on US-Arab Relations, and the Peace Development Fund where he fulfilled a range of roles including preparing research reports, drafting memoranda, and engaging in stakeholder outreach. He also spoke at the 28th Annual Arab-US Policymakers’ Conference.

As a member of a first-generation Armenian immigrant family, Aram is devoted to elevating the conditions of the marginalized and dispossessed. Aram has extensive experience in local community activism, advocating for the rights of immigrant families in Massachusetts lobbying for the passage of the Safe Communities Act, as well as canvassing across Los Angeles for measures and propositions to promote positive change in local communities. For his dedication to social justice activism, Aram earned a commendation from the Progressive Talent Pipeline in September 2020. Aram has also published two responses in The Wall Street Journal’s “Future View” series.

“It’s a tremendous honor to contribute my skills and background to this initiative. The Impact Media Institute’s Genocide Prevention project resonates deeply with my passion for justice and human rights. The recent invasion of Artsakh underlined the urgent need to elevate our collective response to atrocity crimes and the importance of challenging denialist narratives that seek to obscure and give cover to perpetrator states. Through this initiative, we as Armenians have a unique and profound opportunity to share our experience and insight with other threatened populations across the world and encourage international solidarity.”

The Impact Media Institute Genocide Prevention Fellowship is a 6 month research program that offers young professionals with a background in human rights and international relations the opportunity to put theory into practice and produce groundbreaking research and analysis on genocidal violence across the world. In addition to honing skills in independent research and comparative analysis, as well as building understanding of international human rights, this fellowship offers participants the chance to make a powerful impact in the field of genocide and atrocity prevention through comprehensive analysis, coalition building, and media monitoring.

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The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.