ANCA 2024 Gala Awards in Los Angeles

 
On October 20, the annual ANCA-WR Gala Awards took place in the Beverly Hilton Hall in Los Angeles.

Congress members, senators, politicians, and guests from various community structures, Armenia, and the Diaspora were invited to the ceremony.

Archbishop Gegham Khacheryan blessed the evening with the Lord’s Prayer, after which he gave the floor to the gala participants, guests, and ANCA members.

“Armenia’s security and freedom have been restored with the help of Artsakh. Justice for the crime of genocide, a strong and interested Armenian diaspora. There is no better way to highlight these values than to pay tribute to the best,” ANCA President Raffi Hambarian said in his speech. “Those who speak truth in the halls of Congress, Rep. Dina Titus and Rep. Anna Eshoo, are the best of us. People like Ruben Vardanyan, who pay the highest price for freedom, for the idea that we should live freely in our land, Artsakh, are the best of us. People like Sam Simonian, who invest again to make sure that the Armenian people are strong and energetic, are the best of us. ‘301’, ‘Zartonk’, and ‘Armenian Reporter’, which publish the truth, are the best of us.”

Oshin Harootoonian, Chairperson of ANCA-WR, and Lenna Hovanessian, Member of the Board of Directors, delivered a welcoming speech.

“This is an extraordinary honor, and I am very deeply touched to be recognized in this extraordinary way,” said Rep. Anna Eshoo, one of the award winners. “For over 32 years, we have worked shoulder to shoulder to strengthen the bonds between the United States and Armenia, and whatever the challenges have been, we have never faltered. I am so proud of the work of the ANCA in the halls of Congress.”

California Senator Anthony Portantino has been working with ANCA for 25 years. He noted that he chaired the committee to promote California-Artsakh-Armenia cooperation, which was signed by the governor.

“The Armenian community has significant influence on California public policy and is also a great partner,” the senator said.

“We must work and support the Armenian cause, staying at the forefront of the lawmakers’ attention so that we can return Artsakh. I am a proud third-generation Armenian-American. My father’s family came from Sebastia, Turkey. I am proud to be Armenian and proud to support the Armenian cause. I am currently serving as Mayor Pro Tem of Laguna Niguel and proud to work with Rep. Mike Levin, who is a member of the Armenian Caucus,” said Stephanie Oddo in her remarks.

The first Foreign Minister of Armenia, Raffi Hovhannisian, also attended the Gala Awards and underscored the importance of the work of all Armenian Diaspora organizations, especially ANCA.

Former Montebello Mayor and current mayoral candidate Jack Hadjinian expressed concern that the Turks and Azerbaijanis have been working very closely together in recent years, and the task of Armenians is to do a more organized job.

For Los Angeles City Council candidate Adrin Nazarian, working with ANCA has always yielded positive results, both communally and politically. And Glendale City Council member Ardy Kassakhian is convinced that Armenian votes could play a decisive role in the US presidential election today.

“Armenians have enough decisive votes in the States, and, of course, we should take advantage of this opportunity,” Kassakhian said.

The main task of ANCA now also includes the fight against the falsifications of Turkey and Azerbaijan in Congress.

Oshin Harootoonian, Chairperson of ANCA-WR, expressed his concern about this problem.

“We must be firmer and more decisive, because Turkey and Azerbaijan give Armenians new challenges,” Harootoonian said.

The participants, guests, and organizers of the Gala Awards were confident that the work done over the years would yield results, and in the near future they would be able to fight more decisively and unitedly for the Armenian cause.