Armenian Genocide Centenary Commemoration Committee AGCCC UK

Transcription

1 Armenian Genocide Centenary Commemoration Committee AGCCC UK Timetable of Events for 2015 We invite the UK-wide Community to support the Centenary events and stand in solidarity with recognition of the Armenian Genocide and respect the memory of 1.5 million martyrs with the following statement: I REMEMBER AND DEMAND

2 Events are shown with their respective dates including the organiser or the relevant City/Community DATE Sunday 29 March Organised by the Cardiff Parish of the Armenian Church Conference University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam College Genocide Denial and Consequences: 100 years after the Armenian Holocaust conference with Vicken Cheterian as one of the two keynote speakers Sunday 5 April BBC Radio 4 - Sunday 5 April, am BBC Radio 4 For this special edition for Easter Sunday, Sunday will be making the 100 th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Presenter Caroline Wyatt, will explore the story of how, in 1915, hundreds of thousands of Armenians were forced to leave their homes in the Ottoman Empire. Many were killed or died from starvation or disease during the deportations. On Easter Day in 1870 the Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Manchester opened its doors for the first time. Sunday visits this community and its legacy. Plus other religious news and current affairs. Thursday 9 April Organised by SOAS Armenian Society / AYF London Denialism Brunei Gallery - 7:30 PM - A lecture on how to counter the arguments of denialists

3 Friday 10 April The SSE Arena Wembley 8:30 PM One of Alt Rock s most ground-breaking bands, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, will be heading to London in April 2015 to play an exceptionally special and important show on 10th April 2015 at The SSE Arena, Wembley as part of their Wake Up The Souls World Tour. This show will be their first indoor show in the UK since Tickets available on ystem-of-a-down Friday 10 April - Thursday 16 April Organiser St Yeghiche Parish Pilgrimage to Italy and the Basilica on Vatican City Pilgrimage to Italy on the Occasion of 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Armenian Divine Liturgy will be offered at St Peter s Basilica in Vatican City on Sunday 12 April 2015, under the auspices of His Holiness Pope Francis, for commemorating the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide. The Very Rev Fr Aren Shaheenian together with St Yeghiche Armenian Church Parish Council have organised a 6 day pilgrimage to Rome and Venice. For full details of the program, please visit our website on Monday 13 April Organiser RP Musical Management Spring Remembrance Concert Purcell Room Southbank Dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide, with the Khachaturian Trio and guest artists Clifton Harrison, Rosemary Taylor and Sam Pearce. Program includes Komitas, Mirzoyan, Dohnanyi, Khachaturian, Rachmaninov and Babadjanian. Sponsored by AGBU London Trust and AGCCC UK

4 Tuesday 14 - Thursday 16 April Organised by the Armenian Embassy to the UK International Book Fair London ARMENIAN PAVILION This year the Armenian Pavilion will participate for the third year at the London International Book Fair and for the first time with a big integrated pavilion in the prestigious central hall of Olympia. Publishers and writers from the Republic of Armenia and Diaspora will come together at this international forum. The Armenian Genocide and its Centenary will be the central theme of the Armenian Pavilion. 18 April 11:00 am Organiser AGCCC UK Annual Procession The following route was finalised after three months of negotiations with the authorities. Due to a large number of road works and capital projects, several proposed routes were unacceptable. Assembly at corner of Piccadilly and Hamilton Place, Route: Piccadilly, St James s, Pall Mall, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, The Cenotaph Wreath Laying and Prayers ceremony Handing in the Centenary Petition at 10 Downing Street - Continue back to Horse Guards Ave, Embankment, New Bridge Street, St Paul s Cathedral, where at 14:00 Cannon Tricia Willas will address the public on a PA system from the top of the Western Stairs. After a short expression of gratitude, the procession will disperse. Everyone is encouraged to make their way to Southwark Cathedral for the next event. START POSTCODE: W1J 7DR (corner of Hamilton Place & Piccadilly) to The Cenotaph then to St Paul's Cathedral EC4M 8AD (Distance to walk is 0.9 miles taking 20 Min. Postcode SE1 9DA)

5 18 April 2:30 pm Organiser AGCCC UK Centenary Commemoration at Southwark Cathedral Public Notice: Southwark Cathedral has a capacity of up to Please arrive early in order to avoid disappointment. Doors will open at 14:30; program will end at 16:00. Welcoming remarks by the Dean of Southwark, The Very Reverend Andrew Nunn Key Note Speech: Dr Charles Tannock MEP and Patron of AGCCC UK Special guest speaker: Geoffrey Robertson QC (Doughty Street Chambers) Cultural interlude: Hasmik Papian performing Handel s Lascia Chi o Pianga and Groong by Komitas, accompanied by Victoria Walker on cello. Special guest speaker: H.E. Dr Armen Sarkissian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Kingdom Other dignitaries and guests have also been invited. calendar-by-type.php?t=3 ADMITTANCE IS FREE, BUT PLEASE BOOK YOUR TICKETS VIA BRITE TO AVOID DISAPPOINTEMENT: southwark-memorial.eventbrite.co.uk 18 April All Day Organiser AGCCC UK Digital advertising in London Digital advertising promoting the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide and information about the denialist policy of Turkey and its western allies will be displayed together with publicity about recognition of the Armenian Genocide by over 22 countries, the International Association of Genocide Scholars and the European Parliament The van will circulate in streets of Central London all day

6 Sunday 19 April Organised by Cardiff Parish of the Armenian Church BBC Radio 4 8:10 am Sunday Worship from Christ Parish Church, Carmarthen. This service will be linked to the centenary with Armenian themes and an interview with Canon Patrick Thomas. Monday 20 April Organised by Cardiff Parish of the Armenian Church Lecture Cheltenham GL50 4AZ, University of Gloucestershire, Francis Close Campus Lecture on An Inconvenient Genocide: 100 Years of Holocaust Denial by James Derounian, Principal Lecturer Tuesday 21 April - Friday 24 April Organiser AGCCC UK Centenary Vigil 100 hrs Opposite Downing Street 100 hours of hunger strike and vigil by 100! Outside Downing Street in Whitehall starting at noon on 20 th and ending 4pm on 24 th April. Hope it will raise some publicity about Genocide denial and consistent support by the British government for Turkey s denialist and anti-armenian position. Tuesday 21 April Wed 22 April Organiser: UCL Armenian Society Supported by AGCCC UK Lectures at UCL details will be announced later

7 Tuesday 21 April to 16 May I Wish to Die Singing at Finborough Theatre Supported by AGCCC UK A play Devised by Neil McPherson, directed by Tommo Fowler The world premiere - Who, after all, today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians? Adolf Hitler, Commemorating the centenary of the Armenian genocide, the world premiere of a documentary drama. "On the night of, April 24th 1915, the Armenians of Constantinople were snoring in a calm sleep exhausted from their Easter celebrations while in the Central Police Station a secret project was in motion..." The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century, perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Government against the Armenians, a Christian minority in a Muslim state. One and a half million people died. The word 'genocide' itself was invented by Raphael Lemkin in 1943 to describe the events of Adolf Hitler used the Armenian Genocide as a direct inspiration for the Holocaust during the Second World War. To this day, the Turkish government refuses to admit that any genocide ever took place. Commemorating the exact centenary of the deportations that began the Armenian Genocide, I Wish To Die Singing Voices From The Armenian Genocide is a controversial documentary drama uncovering the forgotten secrets and atrocities of a denied genocide featuring eye-witness reportage, images, music, poetry from Armenia's greatest poets, and verbatim survivors testimonies from one of the greatest historical injustices of all time. ns/2015/i-wish-to-die-singing.php Thursday 23 April Organised by AGCCC UK Exhibition and Educational program school (Name and location of school will not be publicised)

8 Presenting the Armenian Genocide to 5 th and 6 th form students (aged 11 to 18); Dana Blackburn, PhD candidate from Birmingham University will present a brief history of the Armenian Genocide, parallels with the Jewish Holocaust and discuss related contemporary issues. An exhibition will be on display. DATE Thursday 23 April Organised by The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Great House of Cilicia The Sanctification of the victims of the 1915 Genocide as martyred saints. The ceremonies of the sanctification of the victims of the Genocide as Martyrs will take place in Holy Etchmiadzin on the 23 of April at 16:15 (local time). The ceremony is expected to end at 19:15 (symbolising the year of the Genocide). It was decided that the Church bells of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and those of the Great House of Cilicia will resound simultaneously ringing 100 times commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Genocide. They jointly request that all our churches across Armenia and the Diaspora to arrange for their church bells to ring in every parish at Yerevan-time 19:15 (i.e. 16:15 London time). St Yeghiche Armenian Church will be broadcasting live; starting at 1:15-4:15 London time and at the end will be ringing its bells 100 times. Similarly, we are approaching as many Christian and Oriental Churches to join in this special ceremony, provided that it does not interfere with their scheduled program. Finally, at the conclusion of the 100 rings of the bells, the following two hymns will be sung Soorp, Soorp and Hayr Mer in Holy Etchmiadzin and the Great House of Cilicia. If possible, please coordinate your local choirs to sing these hymns at the conclusion of the ringing of the bells. Thursday 23 April Organised by AGCCC UK Vigil at Armenian Genocide Memorial Tree 16:00 to 19:00 Vigil at Ealing Green, Candlelit vigil, with various speakers and readings.

9 Friday 24 April 11:00 am Friday 24 April Organised by St Yeghiche Armenian Church Parish Divine Liturgy at St Yeghiche Church Cranley Gardens, London SW7 3BB 11:00 am, following the service everyone will be encouraged to make their way to the vigil in front of the Turkish Embassy. Please see below Organised by AYF London, Supported by AGCCC UK Vigil in front of the Turkish Embassy London 13:30 to 18:30 Vigil in front of Turkish Embassy Belgravia Square, London SW17 1BW Friday 24 April Organised by Dublin Mission Parish, Ireland Exhibition Photographic exhibition at Hotel Dun Laoghaire followed at dusk by the release of 100 lanterns into the sky Friday 24 April Organised by AGCCC UK Memorial Concert The Sinfonietta Featuring music by renowned Armenian Composers A concert commemorating the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide 7:30 PM at St James s Church, 197 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LL Armenian Genocide Centenary Memorial Concert with Sinfonietta orchestra performing works from Khachaturian, Hovhaness, Harutunyan, Komitas & Mirzoyan.

10 Ani Batikian Solo violin Johan Michael Katz conductor Iva Fleischhansova Leader Tickets are available on at 20 and 10 Prominent guests are invited to this event. DATE Friday 24 April Trinity Church, Derby Street, Leek Out of Darkness into the Light Multimedia evening to mark the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide and to remember other genocides, including testimony of righteous persons With Tigran Aleksanyan playing the duduk Address: Russell Street, Leek, ST13 5JF Tel April Organised by AGCCC UK Memorial Concert The Sinfonietta 7.30 PM, United Reformed Church, 21 Bluhouse Lane, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0AA Guest of Honour: Tandridge District Council s Chairman, Councillor Elizabeth Parker Tickets available at 24 on 25 April Organised by Holy Trinity Church Parish of Manchester Commemorative Evening 4:00 PM the Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 229 Upper Brook Street Manchester M13 0FY

11 25 April Organised by Coptic Orthodox Church of UK, Supported by AGCCC UK Fundraising concert by the Coptic Church choir dedicated to the Centenary of Armenian Genocide 6:00 PM at St Yeghiche Church. The organisers will hold a special concert with several prominent guests. Members of the Armenian Community are also invited to support this charitable concert. 25 April Organised by K. Tahta Armenian Community Sunday School 6.30 PM Twyford High School Armenian Genocide Centenary Commemoration evening special program reflecting on the life of K. Tahta the founding benefactor. Open to Public 25 April Tetbury, Gloucestershire Laying of Wreath in memory of the Armenian Genocide victims in the Church World War 1 memorial Special prayers will also be delivered on the Sunday during the church service. April 2015 Publication by AGCCC UK Ethnic Armenians In Service of The Ottoman Empire in 1909 by Hratch Kouyoumjian Contributions by: Baroness Caroline Cox Harout Sassounian Herve Georgelin

12 Sunday 26 April Organised by AGCCC UK Community Commemoration of the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide 3: PM, St Yeghiche Church, Cranley Gardens, London, SW7 3BB with guest speakers, cultural interludes and participation by staff or children from Armenian Language schools. Sunday 26 April Organised by Mission Parish of Dublin Remembrance Service at Tanney Church Sunday 26 April Bradford Cathedral Worship and Prayer Vigil for persecuted Christians in the Middle East and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide 2 May Organised by St Mary s Church South Woodford, Supported by AGCCC UK Armenian Genocide Centenary Memorial Service 207 High Road, South Woodford E18 2PA The service includes speakers from the Armenian Church, the embassy and the community as well as Armenian liturgy.

13 Sunday 3 May Organised by the Armenian Embassy Concert at the Royal Festival Hall Music of Armenia Sunday 3 May, 7.30pm, Royal Festival Hall Part of the Armenian Genocide Centenary Commemorative Concerts In the year marking the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, musicians from around the world will commemorate this important anniversary through their music and art in a series of events taking place from LA and New York to Yerevan. In London, the Philharmonia Orchestra is joined by two superlative artists: violinist Sergey Khachatryan and soprano Anush Hovhannisyan for a special concert. Tickets are available at and can be booked through the Philharmonia Orchestra Box Office on FREEPHONE (Mon-Fri from 9.30am) or online at (Transaction fees apply*: phone 2.75; online 1.75) 9 May Organised by Oxford University Armenian Society Concert 7:30 PM Magdalen College Auditorium 'Remembering Komitas': a Concert to Commemorate the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide. Ani Batikian (violin), Anais Heghoyan (mezzosoprano), Artur Bobikyan (piano), Varazdat Khachatryan (piano), Shakeh Major Tchilingirian (solo dance) and Oxford Armenian Choir.

14 16 May Organised by Heritage and Cultural Committee of ACC Exhibition of paintings on the subject of the Armenian Genocide Navasartian Centre, 223 Northfields Avenue, London W13 9QU Art expert Shahen Khachatryan specially invited to give a lecture on Genocide in Armenian Fine Arts Presenting works by Hovhanes Ayvazovski, Vadges Surenian, Gevorg Bashinjaghian, Yeghishe Tadevosyan and other artists that were created as a consequence of the slaughter of High quality images of paintings on the Armenian Genocide by Martiros Saryan, Vona Khojabekyan and others will be featured. Many Armenian Artists were left orphans after the genocide but managed to study and succeed in Europe and in the USA. Arshile Gorkey, Levon Tutujian, Khoren Ter Harutyan, Carzou, Jansem, Kero Antoyan, Arakel Partik, Hovakim Hovhannisyan were among such artists. The Exhibition may be displayed at Edinburgh later in the month. May Organised by Cardiff Parish of the Armenian Church St David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire, Wales (Cardiff Mission Parish) Unveiling of Genocide Memorial stone tablet in the presence of Archbishops, Bishops and dignitaries from both churches in appreciation of the Church of Wales recognition and their ongoing annual prayers Specific date in May to be confirmed.

15 Monday 8 June Organised by AGCCC UK and UCL Armenian Students Society Lecture by Robert Fisk of The Independent 6:30 PM UCL Title: After the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide Sunday 12 July Organised by the Armenian Institute with Alexander Chaushian In Memoriam Concert with international musicians Wigmore Hall To mark the centenary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, the Armenian Institute, in cooperation with Yerevan born, London based cellist Alexander Chaushian, will be hosting a special concert in London in Summer The Centenary Concert will be held at the prestigious Wigmore Hall on July 12 and will present a programme of Armenian chamber music with Armenian soloists and their friends. One hundred years after the Ottoman Empire undertook the enterprise of wiping out its Armenian population, there is today an independent Republic of Armenia and also a thriving diaspora spread across the globe. The world class soloists who will be performing on the 12th July include: Kim Kashkashian, viola Sergey Khachatryan, violin Lucine Khachatryan, piano Vahan Mardirossian, piano Levon Chilingirian, violin Sergey Babayan, piano Steven Isserlis, cello Alexander Chaushian, cello Yevgeny Sudbin, piano

16 Wed 30 September Organised by AGCCC UK Memorial Concert 7:30 PM Cadogan Hall 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ The special program includes Orpheus Sinfonia Orchestra. Names of performers and details of the program will be announced later. 7 November Organised by AGBU London Concert St John s Smith Square, London Centenary Commemoration Concert by AGBU London Chamber Orchestra, featuring Armenian soloists from various countries. Thursday 18 and Wed 19 December Organised by London Armenian Opera Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music Performances of Davit Bek opera Projects requiring additional funding Supported by AGCCC UK Documentary Film Based on the life of Aram Khachaturian Director Tony Palmer, producer Zepyur Batikian. AGCCC has allocated 10,000 towards this documentary to help promote the project for fundraising and publicity. We hope to secure further funding from the Arts Council and other foundations as well as encourage the community to assist in funding. Other events organised by AGCCC UK will be announced in due course

17 Visit Armenia and Artsakh with Baroness Caroline Cox s HART Foundation

18 Dear Reader Thank you for taking the time to review the Centenary events organised by AGCCC UK. Further events are in the pipeline and will be publicised in future updates. We would greatly appreciate your support in every sense. The total cost of the program will be around 200,000. We rely on the generosity of our supporters to help us realise our objectives. The Turkish government has been actively working to divert the attention of the World Community from focusing on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide to the commemorations at Gallipoli, by their cynical act of changing the traditional date for commemorations from 25 th to 24 th April, the International Day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. The AGCCC UK bank account details are shown below. Donations will be welcomed through direct transfers or by sending a cheque to: AGCCC, P.O. Box 72005, London NW6 9RT AGCCC bank account Bank: Barclays Bank Acc no: Sort Code: Donations can also be accepted by PayPal via our website at