(Glendale, California)—The Armenian National Committee of America Western Region’s Education Committee announced that Dr. Stephan H. Astourian will receive the Armenian Genocide Education Legacy award at the 6th Annual Armenian Genocide Education Awards Luncheon on Saturday, March 25 at Legacy Ballroom 6410 San Fernando Rd, Glendale, CA 91201 at 11am PST.

“The ANCA-WR Education Committee is proud to present Dr. Astourian with the Armenian Genocide Education Legacy Award this year,” said Taline Arsenian, Luncheon Committee Chair.

Until his retirement in July 2022, Dr. Stephan Astourian was the William Saroyan Director of the Armenian Studies Program, a program founded by him at the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Department of History for over 20 years. The Armenian Studies Program classes at UC Berkeley have covered topics in history, comparative genocides, Diaspora studies, Armenian language, and Armenian literature and culture. Dr. Astourian and his colleague, Dr. Myrna Douzjian, have spearheaded and kept the Armenian Studies Program alive and thriving despite lack of funding and resources that sustain small programs in educational institutions, maintaining the integrity and unabating quality of Armenian history and language education in the Bay Area.

“Dr. Astourian has made profound contributions to academia and the Armenian community at large. We are grateful to all his years of service and it is our honor to present him with our most prestigious recognition,” continued Arsenian.

The Master of Ceremonies of the 2023 Armenian Genocide Education Awards Luncheon will be the much loved and celebrated news anchor, Araksya Karapetyian. The Emmy winning anchor of the Good Day L.A. news show of LA Fox 11  has been a vocal proponent of Armenian issues and causes and a powerful voice for Armenians and other marginalized communities through daily broadcasts that air in the second biggest city in the United States.

“Araksya is a role model for all young women. I am honored to have her as the MC for this year’s award ceremony,” said Alice Petrossian, Chair of ANCA Western Region’s Education Committee. “Karapetyan’s relentless dedication to the Armenian Cause is prevalent through her work at FOX 11, where she regularly covers issues of importance to the Armenian American community in Los Angeles, including the continued Azerbaijani aggressions against the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh.”

The recipient of the 2023 Ambassador Henry Morgenthau Sr. Courage Award is Karapetyan’s colleague at FOX 11, Emmy Award-winning journalist Christina Pasccuci. Pascucci is a licensed pilot and a humanitarian advocate who has traveled to more than 100 countries across seven continents in pursuit of the truth. She received the Journalist of the Year award by the LA Press Club in 2020.  

In September 2022, Pascucci traveled to the frontlines during Azerbaijan’s illegal invasion and occupation of the sovereign territories of the Republic of Armenia. During her reporting mission, Pascucci traveled to multiple cities in Armenia like Jermuk, which came under attack during her coverage, and was transformed into a ghost town when it was once a bustling resort spot.

Pascucci reported on the devastating consequences of war in towns where Armenian men, women, and children had their homes destroyed by shelling from Azerbaijani forces, and delivered those untold stories of devastation to American audiences.

“Pascucci’s ability to maneuver through an active war zone is a demonstration of her journalistic integrity and dedication to her craft,” said Alice Petrossian. “At a time when the entire world’s attention had been focused on the horrific conflict in Ukraine, Pascucci courageously captured the heart- wrenching stories of Armenian suffering and professionally delivered it to the world.”

Pascucci attributes her introduction and understanding of the Armenian Genocide to her high school Spanish teacher Delia Grigorian, once more proving the real, lasting effects of the work teachers do. 

All community members are invited to the 6th Annual Armenian Genocide Education Awards Luncheon, to show their appreciation, celebrate and honor educators for their dedication to teaching about the Armenian Genocide. This year’s luncheon is scheduled to begin at 11am at Legacy Ballroom in Glendale, CA. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available online. Tickets for the Awards Luncheon are running out, so please reserve your tickets immediately. For additional information about the 2023 Awards Luncheon, visit the ANCA-WR Education Committee website or call (818) 500-1918.

The Armenian National Committee of America- Western Region (ANCA-WR) is a grassroots public affairs organization devoted to advancing issues of concern to the Armenian American community. For nearly a century, the ANCA-WR has served to educate, motivate and activate the Armenian American community in the Western United States on a wide range of issues.