Assembly Resolution No. 2212

BY: M. of A. Rules (Lemondes)

MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
May 19, 2024, as Armenian Heritage Day in the State
of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious events
that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long- standing tradition, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 19, 2024, as Armenian
Heritage Day in the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, New York is proud to be the home of numerous ethnic
communities, many of whom have prospered and enjoyed the freedom and
democracy upon which our nation was founded; tragically, throughout
history, the people of many countries have not realized the same
autonomy and equality; and

WHEREAS, The seeds for the Armenian genocide were planted during
negotiations among the European powers that led to the signing of the
Treaty of Berlin in 1878; the ensuing rise of nationalism led to many
revolutionary wars and independence movements within the decaying
Ottoman Empire, causing Turkish leaders to become increasingly fearful
that their ethnically diverse domain would begin to disintegrate; and

WHEREAS, From 1914 until 1922, in a systematic attempt to
exterminate an entire population, the Ottoman Turks directed the killing
of over one million Armenians and Assyrians living in Pontos, and
353,000 Pontian and Anatolian Greeks; furthermore, an equal number were
forced to flee their homeland in one of the most condemnable atrocities
in the history of the world; and

WHEREAS, The Ottoman and Kemals Neoturks engaged in exile,
starvation, slaughter and murder, using axes and fire to massacre the
Armenian and Pontic Greek population and perpetrate the first mass
genocide of the 20th century, resulting in the deportation of nearly
2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women, and children were
killed, and the remaining 500,000 survived but were expelled from their
homes; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative to pay tribute to the survivors of this
atrocious time, as well as their descendants, who have made countless
contributions to the enrichment of our culture and our way of life here
in the great State of New York, and who stand as an inspiration to
oppressed people around the world; and

WHEREAS, It is vital and proper to remember those who lost their
lives in the Armenian Genocide, and it is paramount that people of all
nations look at this horrific event in our world's not-so-distant
history as a way to learn a valuable lesson, so that such atrocities are
not tolerated and are never committed again; and

WHEREAS, Members of the Armenian and Pontian community honor the
memory of the victims of this genocide and emphasize that crimes against
humanity must be condemned and never be allowed; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 19, 2024, as Armenian
Heritage Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.