Orphans and Roses: Armenian Genocide Commemorative Billboards

BOSTON, MA — Peace of Art, Inc. (www.peaceofart.org) continues its annual Armenian Genocide commemoration campaign in various Massachusetts cities during the month of April with digital billboards dedicated to the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Our first billboard “double-themed” went up in Foxboro on April 2 near Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The first screen is a group Photo of Armenian orphans who survived the genocide. Its bright yellow text says: “1.5 million victims. 150,000 Orphans.” The letter O was replaced by a bouquet of yellow roses. The follow-on screen says: “In Remembrance of the Victims of All Genocides, 101st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.” The floral background with forget-me-not flowers represents the demanding eyes of the victims screaming for recognition and justice. Six more digitals scheduled to go up April 7th on Rte. 1, Lynnway; Rte. 1, Malden; Rte. 495, Haverhill.

“On April 24, 2015 at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide memorial in Yerevan, I participated in the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. I witnessed Armenian children presenting a yellow rose to each of the many foreign leaders and dignitaries, including French President Francois Hollande, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the presidents of Serbia and Cyprus. Together they placed their roses into the main Centennial wreath.

It would have been wonderful to see the U.S. president himself in attendance, placing a rose in memory of the 1.5 million Armenian Christian victims of 1915 to 1923. Unfortunately, President Obama has yet to make good on his widely-publicized 2008 campaign promise to formally acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.” Said Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, president and founder of Peace of Art, Inc.

Since 1996 Hejinian has been sponsoring the Armenian Genocide Awareness billboards campaign, and this project was taken over in 2003 by Peace of Art. While in the past the constant message was “Recognize the Armenian Genocide,” this year the message is of remembrance. The Centennial memorial wreath and its central floral bouquet, constructed rose by rose by world leaders, served as our visual inspiration.

“Despite the bitter rain, cold, and body-piercing wind in Yerevan on April 24, the children of the free and independent Armenia stood as honor guards, paying the world’s respects to the memory of the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide. Images of the youngest victims of that genocide resurfaced before my eyes; thousands of defenseless and frightened beings, screaming FORGET ME NOT…” said Hejinian.

Peace of Art, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization registered with the Massachusetts Secretary of State, and tax exempt under section 501(C)(3), founded  in 2003 by artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian.  It uses art as an educational tool to bring awareness to the universal human condition and promote peaceful solutions to conflicts.

In 2015, Peace of Art, Inc. launched its Centennial genocide awareness billboard campaign, “100 Billboards for 100 Years of Genocide,” in the U.S. and Canada to commemorate not only the victims of the Armenian Genocide but also the victims of all genocides.