Thursday, January 10, 2008

EVENT- Joint Holocaust-Armenian Genocide Exhibit on Sunday, Jan. 20, ALMA, Watertown

A distribution of: Central-Asia-Harvard-List. The Announcement List for
Central Eurasian Studies at Harvard University


EVENT- Joint Holocaust-Armenian Genocide Exhibit on Sunday, Jan. 20, ALMA

Posted by: Armenian Library and Museum <armenianlma@yahoo.com>

The Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) will be hosting a
joint Holocaust - Armenian Genocide exhibit on Sunday, January 20,
2008 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. ALMA is located in the heart of the Watertown
Square (65 Main Street, Watertown MA.) The goal of the event is to
further enhance the bond between two peoples who have each suffered
horrific crimes against humanity, as they continue to recognize common
ground and share a hope for a better future.

The Holocaust exhibit will include photos, video, and valuables
formerly belonging to inmates at Auschwitz that have been recently
unveiled by 92-year-old Holocaust survivor and Brighton resident Meyer
Hack. As a laundry worker, Hack retrieved these pieces from inmates'
clothing when the latter were removed from them. Miraculously, he hid
them from the Nazis throughout his years in the camps. These artifacts
have not been publicly displayed yet, and after this event, they will
be installed at the Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem in Jerusalem in a
special ceremony.

The Armenian Genocide exhibit, "In Memoriam" the only permanent
exhibit on Armenian Genocide in the United States, is a memorial to
the most tragic of all events in Armenia's 3,000 year-old history. The
exhibit pays tribute to more than 1.5 million victims of the first
Genocide of the 20th century. ALMA's exhibit is intended to help the
visitor "feel" the Genocide as well as "learn" about it by conveying
the horror of those deaths along with statistics and other accounts in
text and photographs. The Armenian Genocide exhibit will be
accompanied by additional photographs from Project SAVE Armenian
Photograph Archives. Among these will be photographs of concentration
camps taken by an Armenian WWII photographer from Belmont.

Mr. Meyer Hack, Holocaust survivor and resident of Brighton and Mr.
Kevork Norian, an Armenian Genocide survivor and resident of
Arlington, will be the keynote speakers of the event. Introductions
will be done by WBZ radio talk host Jordan Rich. In addition to the
exhibit and Mr. Hack's and Mr. Norian's personal stories, the event
will include ethnic music by Armenian and Jewish performers Martin
Haroutunian, Ara Sarkissian, Cantor Robbie Solomon, Glenn Dickson and
Grant Smith, poetry recitals, as well as religious invocations by
Armenian clergy and Rabbi Moshe Waldoks, from Temple Beth Zion in
Brookline.

Honored guests of the event include State Senator Edward M. Augustus
Jr., State Rep. Ruth B. Balser, State Rep. William N. Brownsberger,
State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, State Senator Anthony D. Galluccio,
State Rep. Peter J. Koutoujian, State Rep. Alice H. Peisch, State Rep.
Frank I. Smizik, State Rep. Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., State Senator
Marian Walsh, State Rep. Alice K. Wolf, WWII veteran and Dachau
liberator Cranston "Chan" Rogers.

The event is sponsored by the following organizations:
* The Armenian Library and Museum of America
* The Armenian National Committee of America
* The Armenian Assembly of America
* Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives
* The Holocaust Center, Boston North
* Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Clark
University, Worcester
* Facing History and Ourselves, Brookline

Armenian and Kosher refreshments will be served at the event which is
free and open to the public. It will be alcohol-free, all ages, and
handicapped-accessible. There is on-street parking as well as a large
municipal parking lot behind the building. ALMA is very close to the
Mass. Turnpike Exit 17 and is on the route of many MBTA buses
(www.mbta.com). For more information please contact Christie Hardiman
at ALMA (617.926.2562 ext. 4) or Susie Davidson (617-566-7557) or
visit www.almainc.org.


Contacts
Armenian Genocide Exhibit and event questions:
Christie Hardiman, Public Relations Coordinator
Armenian Library and Museum of America
E-mail: Christie@almainc.org
Phone: 617-926-2562, ext. 4
Fax: 617-926-0175
Website:

www.almainc.org


Holocaust exhibit questions:
Susie Davidson, Journalist and Author
Phone: 617-566-7557
E-mail: Susie_d@yahoo.com

About the Organizers

Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA)

Founded in 1971, ALMA's mission is to present and preserve the
culture, history, art and contributions of the Armenian people to
Americans and Armenians alike. Since its inception, ALMA's collection
has grown to over 26,000 books and 20,000 artifacts, making it perhaps
the largest and most diverse holding of Armenian cultural artifacts
outside of Armenia. As a repository for heirlooms, the collection now
represents a major resource not only for Armenian studies research,
but as well as for preservation and illustration of the Armenian
heritage. In 1988, ALMA acquired a 30,000 square foot facility in
Watertown, MA – one of North America's oldest and most active Armenian
communities. The facility includes exhibition galleries, Library,
administrative offices, function hall, climate-controlled vaults and
conservation lab.

ALMA is the only independent Armenian Museum in the Diaspora funded
solely through contributions of individual supporters. An active Board
of Trustees and volunteer base augments the museum's staff. Museum's
active schedule of changing exhibits includes the use of the library
primarily by researchers and interested general public seeking
research materials on Armenians. In addition, the museum sponsors
lecture and presentation program on related topics.

Hours: Friday and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission: Free admission
for ALMA Members; $2 for students; $5 for non-members; Children 12 and
under are free. Driving Directions: Take route 95 to 128 to 90 (Mass
Pike East) towards Watertown. Take exit 17-Watertown/Newton. Go
North 1 mile towards Watertown Square. As you cross the small bridge,
get into the 2 left lanes. Turn left onto Main Street. Turn right
onto Church Street, and then turn right into the municipal parking
lot. MBTA Buses: 71, 70/70A, 57, 52, 59, 502, 504. Please visit

www.mbta.com for schedules and maps.

Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives
Founded in 1975 by Ruth Thomasian, Project SAVE Armenian Photograph
Archives is dedicated to saving the photographic heritage of the
worldwide Armenian community. The Archives collects, documents, and
preserves photographs of all subjects and time periods relating to
Armenian people, their culture, and their country. Documenting the
work of Armenian photographers is of special interest. With
collections of more than 25,000 images, Project SAVE Archives promotes
Armenian culture and history by making its photographs available for
public use. Learn more about the archives at www.projectsave.org or
call 617-923-4542.

Armenian National Committee of America
The Armenian National Committee is a grassroots Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANC actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues

Armenian Assembly of America
The Armenian Assembly, established in 1972, is a Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership
organization.


Armenian Library and Museum of America, Inc.
65 Main Street
Watertown MA 02472

Tel: 617 926 2562
Fax: 617 926 0175
www.almainc.org


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