ARMENIAN BAR LAUNCHES “ARMENIA & DIASPORA” TOWN HALLSERIES

The Armenian Bar Association is verypleased to report that
its inaugural “Armenia &Diaspora” town-hall discussion program, which
tookplace at the St. Mary’s Church Hall in Glendale,California, in
collaboration with the Glendale Youth Center,on November 16, 2012, was
a resounding success.

This was the first of a series of community-based meetings whichthe
Armenian Bar will endeavor to co-host periodically with
variousArmenian organizations and which will center on thetheme of
“ARMENIA & DIASPORA.”   The initial meetingwas to explore and discuss
the critical crossroads facing Armeniaand Diaspora and it enthralled
and captivated the interestedaudience. After all, the evening was
highlighted by two long-time andnoteworthy sons of the Armenian Nation:

RAFFI K. HOVANNISIAN, the first Foreign Minister of the Republic
ofArmenia, founder of the Armenian Center of National &
InternationalStudies, a think tank and research center in
Yerevan, founderand Chairman of the Heritage Party in Armenia’s
Parliament, a  presidential candidatein the upcoming elections in
February 2013, and the founder of theArmenian Bar Association; and,

Dr. VIKEN HOVSEPIAN, PH.D., Chairman of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, CentralCommittee, U.S. Western Region,  and a former member
of theA.R.F.’s Central Bureau.

After being introduced by Ms. Miganoush Ajemian of the Glendale Youth
Center, Armenian BarChairman Garo Ghazarian addressed the
700 people gathered in thestanding -room only church hall. He
thanked andacknowledged Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, members of
the clergy, andthe two-time mayor of Glendaleand
current council member, the Honorable Ara Najarian. He alsoexpressed
his delight and gratitude to all in the audience for their presencein
such large numbers.