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Press Release
March 31, 2009
The Torch of Liberty
Watertown, MA - This year, the Armenian genocide commemorative billboard is scheduled to go up in Watertown, MA, on Arsenal Street, on April 6, 2009. In the middle of the billboard, the torch of liberty is urging the United States to officially recognize the Armenian genocide. The commemorative billboard is sponsored by Peace of Art, Inc., a non-profit organization which uses art as an educational tool to bring awareness to the universal human condition, and promote peaceful solutions to conflict. Peace of Art, Inc. is not associated with political or religious organizations. www.PeaceofArt.org.
Around the same time that the Armenian genocide commemorative billboard will be installed, President Obama will visit Turkey as part of his international tour. It has been speculated that he may influence the opening of the borders between Turkey and Armenia.
Everyone has been following President Obama as he engages in carrying the torch of liberty and attempts to open dialogue for peace and cooperation with all nations. The Armenia Diaspora has been following President Obama as well, and waiting for the official recognition of the Armenian genocide by the United States.
"Political compromise is not a solution to this problem," said Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, the founder of Peace of Art, Inc. He added that recognition of the Armenian genocide will contribute to discouraging future use of genocide as a socio-political solution. "In addition, it will contribute to the political stabilization in the region, and it will improve and normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey."
The Boston Globe
April 12, 2009
Christina Pazzanese
GENOCIDE BILLBOARD - A billboard was once again transformed into a public art display last week to commemorate the Armenian genocide. Each year since 1996, Peace of Art, a nonprofit organization that promotes peaceful conflict resolution and political awareness through art, sponsors a new billboard display. This year's billboard, which shows the torch from the Statue of Liberty and the words "Recognize the Armenian Genocide," was installed on Monday, just as President Obama met with leaders in Istanbul to discuss revitalizing relations between the United States and Turkey. "Political compromise is not a solution to this problem," said artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, Peace of Art's founder, in a written statement. Acknowledgment of the 1915-1923 genocide, he said, "will contribute to the political stabilization of the region and it will improve and normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey."