St. Andrew Armenian Community Hosts Powerful 110th Genocide Commemoration
BY SHAHE YENI-KOMSHIAN
In solemn remembrance of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, St. Andrew Armenian Church hosted a deeply moving community event in collaboration with the ANCA Silicon Valley, Homenetmen Santa Clara “Ani” Chapter, AGBU Silicon Valley, ARS “Agnouni” Chapter, and ARF “Sartarabad” Chapter. The evening served both as a tribute to 1.5 million lives lost and as a rallying call for justice, truth, and recognition in the face of ongoing denial and oppression.
Held in the church’s sanctuary, the event drew a diverse and engaged audience. The presence of distinguished public officials—including Congressman Sam Liccardo, State Assemblymember Ahrens, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga, Mayor of the City of Cupertino Liang Chao and Vice Mayor Kitty Moore, San Jose City Councilmember George Raffi Casey, former Supervisor Joe Simitian and staff members of several offices in the region—underscored the Armenian American community’s growing civic presence in the region.
The Homenetmen Santa Clara Ani Scouts opened the evening with a solemn and graceful flag ceremony. Cultural performances by Dr. Lori Panossian, Mariam Abgaryan, Khachatur Khachaturian, and Alla Petrosyan added emotional resonance and artistic depth.
Master of Ceremonies Arra Yerganian anchored the evening with warmth and clarity, offering a powerful reminder that genocide is not confined to the past. He highlighted ongoing violations in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), including the continued imprisonment of over 135 Armenians in Azerbaijan. Of the 23 officially acknowledged prisoners on trial, many were captured during the forced displacement of Artsakh’s Armenian population in September 2023. The group includes:
- Three former Presidents of Artsakh;
- The last Chair of Parliament;
- Former Foreign and Defense Ministers;
- The former Commander of the Artsakh Army;
- Former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, the most high-profile detainee.
In addition, Armenia’s Investigative Committee has confirmed 32 more POWs from prior conflicts, and human rights advocates estimate that over 80 additional Armenians may be held without official disclosure.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a leading analyst on Middle Eastern and Eurasian affairs. Invited from Washington, D.C., Dr. Rubin delivered a searing critique of U.S. policy toward Armenia and the South Caucasus.
“Genocide is not just a historical crime—it becomes an ongoing threat when its ideology is never dismantled,”Rubin warned.
He emphasized that unlike the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, the Armenian Genocide has never been fully acknowledged or repudiated by its perpetrators. Turkey and Azerbaijan, he argued, continue to reward denial—enabling the persistence of anti-Armenian ideology that today manifests in territorial aggression and systemic repression.
Rubin framed his analysis around three core critiques of American foreign policy in the region:
- Historical Amnesia: U.S. policymakers often lack the historical depth necessary to understand entrenched regional conflicts.
- Ideological Misreading: The tendency to view authoritarian regimes through overly optimistic lenses—labeling Turkey an “Islamic democracy,” for example—has resulted in dangerously naïve policies.
- Grievance vs. Ideology: Rubin argued that American diplomacy frequently mistakes ideological aggression for grievance-based conflict, leading to compromise-driven strategies where deterrence is needed.
He cited Azerbaijan’s decision to launch the 2020 Artsakh War on the centennial of Ottoman attacks on the First Republic of Armenia as a symbolic yet overlooked act of ideological continuity.
“Rubin called for the continued political presence of the democratically elected Artsakh government in exile, emphasizing that the displaced population must retain a voice. Without such representation, he argued, lasting peace and meaningful prospects for the future would be unattainable”
“You cannot impose peace on a population that doesn’t trust the process—especially when their aggressor bars international observers,” Rubin said.
Rubin offered several concrete steps the United States can take to recalibrate its approach:
- Normalize military cooperation with Armenia, even with its use of Russian equipment—just as the U.S. does with India.
- Allow U.S. security monitoring alongside Russian forces, following precedents in Djibouti and Syria.
- Provide transitional protection for Armenia’s economy in the event of Turkey-Armenia border normalization.
- Elevate Armenia as a diplomatic intermediary in the region, given its democratic credibility.
He cautioned that the assumption authoritarian systems will moderate simply through leadership change is unfounded:
“Institutions shaped by decades of Erdoganism or Aliyevism will not simply liberalize with new leadership.”
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Rubin acknowledged the strength and resilience of the Armenian diaspora. But with strength, he noted, comes responsibility. He urged Armenian Americans and their allies to shift from reactive outrage to proactive education and long-term strategy. Raising awareness of ideological threats—rather than relying solely on emotional appeals—he emphasized, will ultimately elevate Armenia’s position within American strategic thinking.
The evening concluded with Arra Yerganian reminding the audience of the untapped civic and economic power of the Armenian American community. His final message was clear: honoring the past must include protecting Armenians today and shaping a just future. What could not be broken in 1915, cannot and will not be broken in 2025. He said, “Let us carry forward this unbreakable spirit-With dignity, with unity, and with hope.”
