Nevada Governor James Gibbons Issues Proclamation

Nevada Governor James Gibbons Issues Proclamation for “Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide”

Carson City, NV – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) applauds Nevada Governor James Gibbons (R-CA) for issuing a proclamation concerning the Armenian Genocide. The document specifically addresses the Armenian Genocide as the first genocide of the twentieth century and notes the importance of remembering the Armenian Genocide to guard against the recurrence of this crime against humanity.

“We are honored to see Governor Gibbons join Governor Schwarzenegger in exercising strong moral leadership on the Armenian Genocide,” commented ANCA-WR Executive Director Andrew Kzirian. “Nevada’s Armenian American community has a rich tradition of civic participation and the Governor’s proclamation is most welcome in this regard,” he added.

Governor Gibbons’ proclamation was issued in the midst of a campaign by the Turkish Government to defeat a resolution (H.Res.106) pending in the U.S. Congress that would mark the slaughter of 1.5 million Christians as the first genocide of the 20th century.

In Nevada, Congressman Porter (R-NV-03) and Congresswoman Berkley (D-NV-01) have cosponsored the Armenian Genocide resolution. San Francisco - Bay Area Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA-12), who serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is himself a Holocaust survivor, has not indicated whether he is supporting the legislation or if he will schedule a vote on the bill in his committee. Currently, nearly 200 Members of Congress from over 35 states have cosponsored the Armenian Genocide resolution.

This is the second proclamation issued by the Office of the Governor of Nevada since 2000.

The full text of the proclamation is included below.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most influential 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 ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

http://anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1142