Candlelight Vigil to Commemorate Armenian Genocide Awareness Week at UC Berkeley

BERKELEY, Calif. – Armenian Student Association at the University of California, Berkeley, will be hosting a series of events during the Armenian Genocide Awareness Week (AGAW) from April 24-27, 2023, to raise awareness about the Armenian Genocide, honor the memory of victims, and educate on Armenian history, and culture. The events are open to the public.

The week-long commemorative activities will begin on Monday, April 24, 2023 starting 7:30pm with a candlelight vigil honoring the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Cal students will gather around the monument built by Armenian Student Association students to learn more about Armenian history and the Genocide. In the end, participants can decorate the monument with their own personal touch.

Coming next, ASA will host an Armenian Dance Workshop on Tuesday, April 25, at 5:00 PM. On Wednesday, April 26, at 12:00 PM, a silent protest will be held, where participants will block the Sather Gate (a prominent UC Berkeley landmark) for 30 minutes with posters and red tape over their mouths. Finally, on Thursday, April 27, at 1:00 PM, the week will conclude with a fundraiser featuring pre-ordered Armenian pastries, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Armenian Wounded Heroes Fund.

As we commemorate the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which began on April 24, 1915, during World War I, it is crucial to acknowledge the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and their identity in the Ottoman Empire. These events serve to remember the victims of the past and bring the Armenian community together.