Adrienne Alexanian to Speak on “Forced into Genocide: Memoirs of an Armenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Empire”

FRESNO — Adrienne Alexanian will present a lecture entitled “ Forced into Genocide: Memoirs of an Armenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Empire” at 7:30PM on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, in the University Business Center, Alice Peters Auditorium, Room 191 on the Fresno State campus. “Forced into Genocide” is a memoir written by her father, Yervant Alexanian, and edited by Adrienne Alexanian. It features an introduction by Dr. Sergio La Porta, Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at Fresno State and a foreword by Dr. Israel Charny.

This presentation is sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program and the College of Arts & Humanities at Fresno State, and co-sponsored by the AGBU and NAASR. It is part of the Armenian Studies Program Fall Lecture Series and is supported by the Leon S. Peters Foundation.

Forced into Genocide is the riveting memoir of Yervant Edward Alexanian, an eye-witness to the massacres and dislocation of his family and countrymen in Ottoman Turkey during World War I. His memoir is a one-of-a-kind “insider’s account” documenting the Genocide’s astonishing cruelty-but also its rare, unexpected acts of humanity.

This edition, translated from Alexanian’s hand-written Armenian language chronicle, includes never before seen documents and photos that the author preserved.

Adrienne Alexanian graduated on the Dean’s List from Hunter College with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in political science and minoring in education. She received a Master’s Degree in Education from Hunter College.

Alexanian has been active in the Armenian community as an NGO Representative at the United Nations for both the Armenian Diocese and the AGBU for 8 years. In that capacity she initiated, organized and moderated forums on the Nagorno-Karabakh War, the blockade of Armenia, Landmine Eradication, and the Armenian Genocide among others.

Alexanian has coordinated earthquake relief for the Armenian Diocese and chaired numerous fund raisers and major events. In 2010 she received the Ellis Island Award for her decades of volunteer work and philanthropy for the Armenian community.

Copies of “Forced into Genocide” will be on sale at the lecture.

The lecture is free and open to the public. Free parking, using a parking code, is available in Lots P6 and P5 near the University Business Center, Fresno State. The parking code can be obtained by contacting the Armenian Studies Program.

For more information about the lecture please contact the Armenian Studies Program at 278-2669, or visit our website at www.fresnostate.edu/armenianstudies or follow us on Facebook @ArmenianStudiesFresnoState or on Twitter @armstudiesfs.