Ambassador Sargsyan's Address to the Centennial Gala Celebration of the Near East Foundation

28 October, 2015

On October 28, Ambassador Sargsyan participated to the Near East Foundation Centennial Gala Celebration in New York. In his congratulatory address on the occasion of NEF centennial, Ambassador touched upon կամ remembered the rich legacy of this organization and all those who contributed to its founding and continued success throughout the years and underlined the important role that it has played in the life of Armenians. Here is Ambassador Sargsyan’s statement on the NEF centennial:

New York, NY
28 October, 2015

In 2015 the Armenian nation worldwide marks the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century. Despite all the efforts of the denialists, the horrors and atrocities of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks are well-documented and the first hand evidence of the events of 1915-23 is undeniable. One of the first who rang the bell of alarm about the terrifying events taking place in the Ottoman Empire was Henry Morgenthau, then US Ambassador to Turkey. His daily reports on the mass killings, deportations and attempts to annihilate the Armenian minority in Turkey first opened the eyes of the Americans and then the rest of the world. The succeeding history proved that American society was one of the world’s most compassionate, noble and philanthropic societies.

In response to Ambassador Morgenthau’s reports and requests for immediate assistance, a group of prominent New Yorkers, led by former missionary and educator James Burton and philanthropist Cleveland Dodge, established the American Committee for Armenian and Syrian Relief (ACASR), which was renamed Near East Relief in 1919, when the Committee received a Congressional Charter, thus becoming the second humanitarian organization after the American Red Cross to receive this recognition. From 1915 to 1930, Near East Relief saved the lives of over a million refugees, including more than 132.000 orphans, mostly Armenians. In this context, it is very difficult to find enough words of gratitude for the NEF and American people, whose tireless and unselfish efforts saved the lives of thousands of Armenians and played an indescribable role in the survival of our nation.

Today I would like to congratulate the NEF on the centennial of its founding and once again express my gratitude for the very important role that it has played in the life of Armenians.

MFA RA
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