ANCA – Western Region State Candidate Questionnaire (2023-2024)

The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region requests candidates who wish to participate in the candidate evaluation process to submit a completed background information form and questionnaire.

The ANCA-WR will provide a copy of this form to each member of the Candidate Evaluation Committee in preparation for the endorsement decision. Candidate responses may also be made available to the general public before elections.

The Candidate Background Information Form and Questionnaire must be submitted electronically through this form . Only candidates who submit a completed questionnaire or have a proven track record on issues of importance to the Armenian-American community will be eligible for consideration of an endorsement by the ANCA-WR. At its discretion, the ANCA-WR may invite those candidates who submit a completed questionnaire for an in-person interview before making an endorsement decision.

  • Candidate Background and Contact Information

  • Armenian Community Background

    The Armenian-American community has had a significant presence in the United States since the 19th century. Armenian-Americans are civically engaged and contribute to the overall success of the United States. The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR) is the largest and most influential non-partisan Armenian-American grassroots advocacy organization in the western United States. For nearly a century, the ANCA-WR has educated, motivated, and activated the Armenian-American community in the western United States on a wide range of issues, ensuring that the voice of the Armenian-American community is heard. Our current priorities include 1) securing the right of return for the Armenians of Artsakh who have been forcibly displaced by Azerbaijan; 2) providing vital aid to Artsakh and Armenia; 3) ensuring the unconditional release of Armenian POWs and civilian captives illegally detained by Azerbaijan; 4) seeking justice for the still unpunished Armenian Genocide; 5) putting an end to its ongoing denial of genocide and state-sponsored Armenophobia of Turkey and Azerbaijan; and 5) ending all US assistance to Azerbaijan consistent with Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.
  • Armenian Genocide

    Turkey and Azerbaijan both deny the Armenian Genocide, and obstruct justice for this international crime. Between 1915-1923, the Ottoman Turkish government engaged in the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians and over a million other indigenous Christian minorities, including Greeks and Assyrians. Both Congress and the President of the United States have recognized the Armenian Genocide. Many Armenian-Americans can trace their roots to survivors of the Genocide, shaping their communities and worldview. The Genocide and its consequences continue to this day, with Armenians continuing to combat genocide denial and renewed attempts at genocide by successor governments.
  • Artsakh

    The people of the Republic of Artsakh have been committed to building a democratic society since their independence. They have overcome the brutal legacy of Stalin's illegal and arbitrary decision to place Artsakh under Soviet Azerbaijan's administration On December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan had been illegally blockading the Lachin corridor: the only road that connects the Republic of Artsakh with the outside world. During the ongoing blockade, in the afternoon of September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a full-scale assault against Nagorno-Karabakh, shelling the capital Stepanakert and targeting civilian infrastructure. After forced evacuations from Azerbaijan’s assault, virtually all of Artsakh’s native Armenian population were forcibly displaced from their homeland, seeking refuge in Armenia. The humanitarian needs of Artsakh’s refugees are staggering, including the provision of medical supplies, hygiene products, and prefabricated housing. Long-term support is also crucial, encompassing peaceful conflict resolution respecting Artsakh’s self-determination, right to return for refugees under an international protectorate, and sanctions on Azerbaijan for its crimes against humanity.
  • Republic of Armenia

    In the aftermath of the Velvet Revolution in April 2018, the people of Armenia chose a path toward democracy, economic development, and justice. As a result of Azerbaijan's invasion of the Republic of Artsakh and ongoing aggression against the Republic of Armenia - including the presence of over 1,000 Azerbaijani troops in sovereign Armenian territory - one of the region's only democracies faces a devastating humanitarian and security crisis. The United States and Armenia share an historic bond dating back a century, when the government of U.S. recognized the independence of Armenia from the Ottoman Empire and facilitated the provision of urgent humanitarian relief to the survivors of the Armenian Genocide. Since the end of Soviet occupation in 1991, the United States has provided significant support to the development of Armenia's economy, civil society and democratic institutions.
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