{"id":15335,"date":"2018-10-18T06:37:52","date_gmt":"2018-10-18T06:37:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=15335"},"modified":"2018-10-18T06:37:52","modified_gmt":"2018-10-18T06:37:52","slug":"anca-eastern-region-12th-annual-gala-brings-hundreds-of-activists-together-in-new-york-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=15335","title":{"rendered":"ANCA Eastern Region 12th Annual Gala Brings Hundreds of Activists Together in New York City"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK, NY \u2013 Hundreds of community leaders and grassroots advocates from throughout the Eastern United States gathered together at the 12th annual Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region\u2019s Gala on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City to mark 100 years of Armenian-American political advocacy, celebrating the year\u2019s progress and honoring those whose work significantly impacted the Armenian Cause. <\/p>\n

This year\u2019s honorees included Oscar-winning director Terry George and producer Dr. Eric Esrailian for their work on the film \u201cThe Promise,\u201d and community activist and educator Ken Sarajian. Also recognized were the 2018 ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship participants Antranig Kechejian, Victoria Messikian and Adrienne Tazian-Schwartz.
\nSpecial guests included H.E. Mher Margaryan, Armenia\u2019s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr. Robert Avetisyan, Republic of Artsakh\u2019s Permanent Representative to the United States and Dr. Khatchig Mouradian, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Member.
\nSarah Leah Whitson, Executive Director of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Division for Human Rights Watch served as master of ceremonies for the gala. Following the singing of the national anthems of the U,S. and Armenia by Hooshere Bezdikian and the invocation by His Grace Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate, Whitson noted how 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the formation of the American Committee for the Independence of Armenia, the forerunner of the ANCA, in 1918. She highlighted that among the ANCA\u2019s strengths today was the broad diversity of its supporters; its ability to unify people across multiple generations, from varied geographic and professional backgrounds, and from across the political spectrum to work for Hai Tahd, the Armenian Cause.
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\u201cOn behalf of the ANCA Eastern Region board, I would like to congratulate all of the honorees and thank all those who attended and who helped make our 12th annual gala such a success, particularly our gala committees\u201d said Audrey Mardoian, ANCA Eastern Region board member. \u201cWe were heartened by the large number of youth who attended, and are confident that the future of Hai Tahd work is in good hands,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n

Each year at its gala, the ANCA-ER honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions toward issues that concern Armenian-Americans with the Freedom Award. This year, the ANCA-ER honored Terry George, writer and director of \u201cThe Promise\u201d and Dr. Eric Esrailian, producer of \u201cThe Promise\u201d with the Freedom Award. Consolee Nishimwe, author, human rights advocate and survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, presented the Freedom Awards. <\/p>\n

George and Dr. Esrailian helped fulfill the vision of the late Kirk Kerkorian \u2013 educating the public about the perseverance of the Armenian nation through the internationally recognized film, \u201cThe Promise.\u201d Furthering their initiative, the proceeds of the film were used to establish The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law. In their remarks, both George and Dr. Esrailian commended the ANCA on its help in promoting the film. <\/p>\n