GLENDALE : 1915 Armenian Genocide Recalled

Armenian organizations throughout the Los Angeles area will begin a monthlong commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide this weekend, culminating April 23 in a church service in Glendale that draws thousands of Armenians annually.

Beginning in April, 1915, Turkey launched a massive extermination of Armenians in a drive to conquer its neighbor nation. The number of Armenian casualties has never been calculated, but experts believe several million lives were lost.

The commemorative events will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. with an international conference on the Armenian genocide at UCLA, featuring scholars from the United States, Armenia and Israel and discussions about the Turkish government’s refusal to acknowledge the event. The genocide’s lingering effects on succeeding generations of Armenians will also be discussed.

On Monday, the Presidents Advisory Council of Glendale will hold a community outreach program and dinner at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church, 500 S. Central Ave. Levon Marashlian, a history professor at Glendale Community College, will speak on the anniversary of the genocide.

Then, on April 23, as many as 10,000 Armenians are expected at a public rally at 1:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles Convention Center to be attended by Gov. Pete Wilson, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and other officials. That event will be followed at 6:30 p.m. by a special church service at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church, 500 S. Central Ave., Glendale. Services will be in English and Armenian, organizers said.

The calendar of events also includes a protest march April 24 and a concert April 30. For more information, call (818) 500-1918.