LOS ANGELES–The United Human Rights Council will hold a “Moment of Noise” this Monday, January 19, in remembrance of the legacy of those who fought for a better world. The event will take place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will coincide with the second anniversary of the murder of Hrant Dink. It will be held at the Pasadena Armenian Center on 740 E. Washington Blvd. Pasadena, CA
"Rather than have a Moment of Silence to remember those who stood for a better world we will have a Moment of Noise," said Sanan Shirian, a member of UHRC.
At the end of the event there will be a candle light vigil with an open mic for all those who wish to speak up for what they stand for. An art display will also be present at the commemorative event. A film made by the council will also be shown, followed by a poetry slam. Local underground rapper R-Mean will be performing, with other local musicians taking to the stage as well.
A candle light vigil and an open mic for all those who wish to speak up for what they believe will be held at the end of the event, titled "The Opposite of Silence."
Charged, on more than one occasion, with the crime of insulting “Turkishness,” Hrant Dink was a champion of truth in a country plagued by denial and repression. He used his pen to speak out against the denial of the Armenian genocide, all the while advocating for reconciliation between Armenia’s and Turks. A firm believer in free speech, Hrant Dink was assassinated for his beliefs, shot to death at the doorstep of his office in Istanbul on January 19, 2007. At his funeral, the people of Turkey poured into the streets and stood in solidarity with his family, proclaiming: “Today we are all Hran’s, we are all Armenia’s.”
To honor, Hrant Dink’s memory, the UHRC will remember the movemen’s that have changed the course of human history, and present the story of Hrant Dink within the greater context of an ocean of legacy. The event will celebrate the Messages of: Martin Luther King Jr., Harvey Milk, John Lennon, Malcolm X, Mahatma Ghandi, Safia Ahmed-jan, and Hrant Dink.Though they lived in different times and followed different movemen’s, they all stood together, they all Opposed Silence. They stand united for what they believed in.
“The UHRC is group comprised of young individuals working to bring the message and awareness of human rights to the youth and those who wish to listen,” said Saro Paparian, a member of UHRC. “By means of action on a grassroots level, UHRC works toward raising awareness of today’s human rights violations and of those governmen’s who distort, deny, and delude their own history to disguise past and present genocides, massacres, and oppression.”