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YP Los Angeles Partners With GenEd to Deliver Armenian Genocide Presentation to Students
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GenEd's Suzanne Douzmanian delivers a presentation on the Armenian Genocide during the April 28 event. -
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Over 500 students at the Ambassador School of Global Leadership attend the Armenian Genocide assembly.
On April 28, 2011, the Genocide Education Project (GenEd) partnered with AGBU's Young Professionals of Los Angeles (YPLA) to present a special assembly program and discussion on the Armenian Genocide. Five hundred middle and high school students at the Ambassador School of Global Leadership attended the event.
Suzanne Douzmanian, GenEd's Southern California Regional Coordinator, led the discussion, which examined the political and historical context of the Armenian Genocide as part of the continuum of genocides of the 20th century. She also incorporated an examination of the historical journey of her own grandparents, who were both survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
For many of the students, this was the first they had heard of the Armenian Genocide. Although state law requires that the Armenian Genocide be taught in California schools, many schools still do not include this history in their curriculum. "This was an eye-opening assembly for my students," said school principal Melina Castillo. "Since we are part of the International Studies Schools Network, the presentation was especially relevant to our global leadership theme. I would definitely ask them to come back every year." The International Studies Schools Association (ISSA) is a national network of schools dedicated to improving students' understanding of the world.
School counselor Nicole Nigosian spearheaded the event to coincide with the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. "My grandparents were Armenian Genocide survivors, so organizing this presentation really meant a lot to me. I was happy to be able to share a part of my cultural and family history with my students. In fact, I feel that this is one of best things I could have done as a personal contribution toward awareness and remembrance," said Nigosian.
"The role of GenEd, as the conduit for educating teachers and students on the historical facts of the Armenian Genocide, is an important one," said AGBU YPLA Chair Yeghig Keshishian. "We value the incredible work of this organization and its behind-the-scenes approach to bridging the educational gap on a topic that has long gone untaught in our school curriculum."
The Genocide Education Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing instructional resources and teacher training about human rights and genocide, with a particular focus on the Armenian Genocide. For more information on the Genocide Education Project, please visit www.genocideeducation.org.
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