‘Facing History,’ Knights Host Genocide Commemoration Essay Contest

High school and college students are invited to participate in an essay contest to actively support the the Armenian Genocide commemoration that will be held on Sun., April 27 in Times Square (46^th St./Broadway), from 2-4 p.m. Co-sponsors of the contest include the Knights & Daughters of Vartan, an international Armenian fraternal organization with headquarters in the U.S., and Facing History and Ourselves, an international educational and professional development organization.
One winner and two runner-ups will be selected by a distinguished panel of judges. The first place winner will receive $300; second place runner-up will receive $200; and third place runner-up will receive $100. The winners will be recognized at the Times Square commemoration on April 27 and, depending on time constraints, may read their essays.
The question to answer in this year’s essay is: “On the threshold of the 100^th anniversary, how should the world recognize the Armenian Genocide?”
The essay should be 800 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point Arial type, and must include the student’s full name and age, teacher’s full name and subject area, name of high school or college, year in school, hometown and state, phone number, and email address at the top of each page of the essay. The deadline to submit essays is Mon., March 31, 2014, to Taleen Babayan via e-mail at april24nyc@gmail.com.
The three winners will be contacted directly and announced to the mainstream and Armenian media during the week of April 8.
About the Times Square commemoration
Founded in 1985 by the late Sam Azadian, a former Brooklyn, N.Y. resident who lost four siblings during the genocide, the Armenian Genocide Commemoration at Times Square has honored the 1.5 million Armenian lives lost during the 1915 Genocide of the Armenians by the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire. This annual event draws thousands of Armenian and non-Armenian participants to commemorate the solemn occasion. The event features speeches and tributes delivered by prominent political figures and civic leaders, officials of the Knights and Daughters of Vartan, representatives of major Armenian-American organizations, distinguished scholars and educators, as well as high-ranking Armenian and non-Armenian clergy.