2008 Woodie Awards
'Gate Acknowledges Genocide Anniversary
Chris Nickels
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: News
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Members of the Colgate community gathered to reflect on the 92 anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at a lecture entitled, "Commemorating the Armenian Genocide and Remembering Hrant Dink." The event focused on the history of the genocide, personal experiences and the reverberations of the January assassination of Turkish-Armenian writer Hrant Dink. It featured student readings and a guest speaker, SUNY Oneonta's Assistant Professor of Mass Communication, Gayane Torosyan.
Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor in the Humanities and Professor of English Peter Balakian outlined some of the history of the genocide for the audience.
"It was on this day [April 24] that more than 250 intellectuals, writers, clergy, teachers and community leaders, were arrested by the Turkish government, and sent - first by bus and then by train - out of Constantinople to a large armory where they were imprisoned; most of them [were] tortured and killed," Balakian said.
April 24, 1915 marked the beginning of an enormous campaign to exterminate the Armenian population within the Ottoman Empire. It began with the rise to power of the Young Turks, a secular and radical political sect. Under the guise of national security, the Turkish government began to subjugate the minority Armenian population. Balakian noted that the resulting bloodshed culminated in what many believe was an overt and systematic killing of an ethnic group.
"One of the reasons why we commemorate April 24, 1915 both inside and outside the Armenian community is because [it] represents the first instance of modern genocide, the first time modern methods were implemented," Balakian said. "In the end, close to a million-and-a-half people perished; another million were sent into exile."
Balakian then introduced Torosyan, saying that her presence was a "special pleasure" because of the unique perspective she could bring to Hamilton as a native of Armenia.
Torosyan grew up in Armenia. Although the U.S.S.R. controlled the country during her childhood, the Armenians were allowed to commemorate the genocide. She spoke about her personal experiences as an Armenian and reflected on the impacts the genocide had on her family members and herself, telling the story of how her grandmother survived the ordeal.
Donald M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor in the Humanities and Professor of English Peter Balakian outlined some of the history of the genocide for the audience.
"It was on this day [April 24] that more than 250 intellectuals, writers, clergy, teachers and community leaders, were arrested by the Turkish government, and sent - first by bus and then by train - out of Constantinople to a large armory where they were imprisoned; most of them [were] tortured and killed," Balakian said.
April 24, 1915 marked the beginning of an enormous campaign to exterminate the Armenian population within the Ottoman Empire. It began with the rise to power of the Young Turks, a secular and radical political sect. Under the guise of national security, the Turkish government began to subjugate the minority Armenian population. Balakian noted that the resulting bloodshed culminated in what many believe was an overt and systematic killing of an ethnic group.
"One of the reasons why we commemorate April 24, 1915 both inside and outside the Armenian community is because [it] represents the first instance of modern genocide, the first time modern methods were implemented," Balakian said. "In the end, close to a million-and-a-half people perished; another million were sent into exile."
Balakian then introduced Torosyan, saying that her presence was a "special pleasure" because of the unique perspective she could bring to Hamilton as a native of Armenia.
Torosyan grew up in Armenia. Although the U.S.S.R. controlled the country during her childhood, the Armenians were allowed to commemorate the genocide. She spoke about her personal experiences as an Armenian and reflected on the impacts the genocide had on her family members and herself, telling the story of how her grandmother survived the ordeal.
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