Los Angeles, CA – Kim Kardashian posted a blog note and sent a “tweet” to 7.2 million of her fans today urging the U.S. government to recognize the Armenian Genocide and encouraging her fans to join the Resurrection and Recognition: National Day of Prayer on April 24. Kardashian’s tweet amplifies voices from across America calling on the President to honor his pledge to properly commemorate the Armenian Genocide, notably Grammy Award-winning artist, System of a Down frontman, and human rights leader Serj Tankian. “We applaud Kim Kardashian for calling on our government to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Americans of good conscience are committed to ending the cycle of genocide, and to do that, we have to start by calling evil by its name. That’s why we will be demonstrating during President Obama’s visit to California in support of a truthful and just resolution of this crime” said Andrew Kzirian, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ANCA-WR. The Armenian Genocide Task Force is organizing a community-wide April 21st demonstration at the President’s fundraiser in Culver City, California. Kardashian’s tweet was clear and concise: “It’s time to recognize the Armenian Genocide http://bit.ly/dV7c7b” This is not the first time Kardashian has called on the U.S. government to recognize the Armenian Genocide. In 2010, Kardashian called on Speaker Pelosi to schedule a vote on H.Res 252, the Armenian Genocide resolution. In that message, she said “It’s time for America to speak openly and honestly about this horrible crime against humanity, and the only way this will happen is if WE speak up first.” Kardashian’s blogpost can be found at: http://kimkardashian.celebuzz.com/2011/04/21/kim-kardashian-armenian-genocide-protest-recognize/ Kardashian’s tweet can be found at: http://twitter.com/#!/kimkardashian

Obama Visit Coincides with Annual Armenian Genocide Observance

President Obama’s trip to California comes on the eve of April 24th, the international day in support of a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide. On the cusp of his Los Angeles 2012 Presidential campaign kickoff event in Los Angeles today, the community will urge President Obama to honor his 2008 campaign pledge. Demonstrators will also call on the President to visit the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Memorial, located just miles away in Montebello. The community-wide task force organizing the protest represents Armenian community organizations from throughout California. Los Angeles Armenian Americans and anti-genocide activists can join the 3:00pm protest at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City. Buses are being provided to transport individuals starting at 1:30pm from Saint Mary Armenian Church in Glendale and Ferrahian Armenian School in Encino as well as Rose & Alex Pilibos Armenian School in Hollywood. “As President Obama embarks on his re-election campaign, the Armenian American community, anti-genocide activists, and people of good conscience are still waiting for him to demonstrate Presidential leadership to fulfill his 2008 promise by reaffirming the Armenian Genocide,” stated ANCA Western Region Chairman Andrew Kzirian. “Here in California, home to nearly a million descendants of the survivors of this Genocide, he can take a strong step in that direction by visiting the Armenian Genocide Martyr’s Memorial in Montebello,” he added.

Resurrection and Recognition: National Day of Prayer on April 24

Kardashian’s blog post goes on to note that, “this year, April 24 falls on Easter Sunday. Armenians are the first Christian Nation in the world, and almost everyone will be in church to celebrate Easter. Even on this really happy day, we’re going to be remembering the Genocide.” She alerts her fans that “there’s going to be a National Day of Prayer in churches across America to celebrate Easter and commemorate the Genocide.” Her blog links to the National Day of Prayer Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/dayofprayer .

“We commend Kim Kardashian for calling on Americans of good conscience to pray with Armenians in celebration of Easter and in recognition of the Armenian Genocide on Easter Sunday” said Rostom Sarkissian, organizing member of the ‘Resurrection and Recognition: National Day of Prayer on April 24’

In an April 14 statement, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Conference of European Churches (CEC) called on its member churches to join with Armenians on April 24 in a National Day of Prayer.

“When Christians all over the world celebrate Easter on the same date this year, it will be an historic opportunity for all of us to pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide,” said the WCC and CEC. “As the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian people observe the 96th year of the Armenian Genocide, the World Council of Churches and the Conference of Churches in Europe appeal to all member churches to commemorate the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide during their prayers and messages on Easter day 2011.”

Armenian American religious leaders issued an appeal earlier urging people of all faiths to pray with the Armenian nation on April 24. “As children of the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, on this Holy Day of Easter, we call upon our Christian brothers and sisters as well as people of all faiths to pray with us for the two million Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Pontians, and Greeks, who fell victim to the Ottoman Empire’s World War I-era genocide of its Christian minorities, and for justice and peace to prevail in our world,” said the statement, signed by Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian; Archbishop Hovnan Derderian; Very Reverend Father Krikor Chahinian; and Reverend Joseph D. Matossian.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential 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.