PRESS RELEASE
December 22, 2007
Watertown, MA—January 20, 2008-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
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©(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA) to host joint Holocaust - Armenian Genocide exhibit
