Pasadena to Unveil Armenian Genocide Memorial in Poignant Ceremony Today

Pasadena today will unveil an inspirational memorial to victims of the Armenian Genocide during a ceremony in Old Pasadena’s Memorial Park.

The public may  join what is expected to be a moving and solemn event that will include music, poetry and a cultural experience from the proud and thriving Armenian American community in Pasadena.

The Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial memorializes the loss of as many as 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children between 1915 and 1923 at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. The Turkish government maintains that the genocide never occurred.

“The memorial represents the souls of the departed who cry out from the grave for justice and is symbolic of other tragedies of genocide from Darfur and Rwanda to the indigenous people of the Americas,” Pasadena City Councilman John Kennedy said to the Pasadena Weekly..

The memorial is the culmination of three years of work of the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial Committee, a non-profit set up to raise private funds to build and maintain the Memorial. The Memorial completes the vision of Catherine Menard, a Pasadena Art Center College of Design graduate who won the highly competitive responsibility of designing the Pasadena Memorial.

The Memorial features a 16 foot tripod that forever captures the image of the structures used by the Turks to hang artists and leaders 100 years ago. It also features the strength and hope personified by the Armenian people by a tear drop falling into the eternity symbol prized by Armenians throughout the world.

“Our ancestors can never be replaced. Beginning on April 18th their descendants will have a powerful and solemn place to properly remember them and to celebrate the survival and successes of Armenian American’s in Pasadena and throughout California. I am proud and humbled to be part of the project,” said Robert Kalunian, Board Co-Chair.

Kalunian and former Pasadena Police Chief Melekian are the Board’s Co-Chairs. In addition, the Pasadena Genocide Memorial Committee is composed of retired Federal Court Judge Dikran Tevrizian, Levon Filian, Gary Jerjerian, Avo Kechichian, Sandra Siraganian, Shoghig Yepremian, Sgt. Greg Afsharian, David George Gevorkyan, and retired State Assemblymember Anthony Portantino. Filian and Jerjerian are Co-chairing the April 18 event.

The public is invited on April 18 at 3 p.m. The Memorial is located in Pasadena Memorial Park, 30 E. Raymond Avenue, on the North East corner of Walnut Street and Raymond Avenue. Anyone wishing to make a donation to help complete the memorial can make contributions payable to The Community Foundation of the Verdugos/PAGMC and mail contributions to 111 E Broadway, #200, Glendale, CA 91205. The PAGMC is a non-profit, 501(c) (3), and contributions are tax deductible.