In honor of the rich cultural history of Glendale’s Armenian American population, April marked the beginning of Armenian Heritage & History Month, a time of remembrance that holds great significance across the community.
To kick things off, the Glendale Unified School District hosted its second annual Armenian American Heritage Month celebration on April 13 at Hoover High School. Attendees enjoyed student performances, along with panel discussions, speakers and presentations from notable and talented Armenian Americans who shared their inspirational stories, perseverance and accomplishments.
In addition to April being dedicated to honoring the cultural significance and contributions of the Armenian community, it also serves as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Month, a time to reflect on the tragedies and atrocities Armenians have faced at the hands of genocide.
The city will also be hosting a number of events to commemorate the Week of Remembrance and to pay tribute to the enduring strength of survivors while honoring the memory of the countless victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
On Saturday, the city invites community members to join together for a reading and signing of Astrid Kamalyan’s “Bábo: A Tale of Armenian Rug-Washing Day” at 11 a.m. on Artsakh Avenue, between Broadway and Wilson Avenue. In the evening, Glendale Library Arts and Culture ReflectSpace Gallery will present its new exhibit “Before, After: Reflections on the Armenian Genocide” at the library from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Then on Sunday, the city will put on its largest event, the 23rd annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Event, at the Alex Theatre at 4 p.m. Reserve a spot for free at ticketmaster.com/event/0B006083EF132BD0. This event will feature firsthand accounts of the persistent challenges and displacement confronting Armenians, as well as cultural performances.
Glendale’s poet laureate Raffi Joe Wartanian will host “Poets Against Genocide” on Thursday at The Center for Armenian Arts at 6 p.m. Though the event is currently sold out, those who have already reserved seats will experience a screening of “Songs of Solomon,” a film which portrays the Hamidian massacres carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1881 to 1915, at the Look Dine-In Cinema at 7 p.m. on Friday.
First published in the April 20 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
