April 11, 2001

Proclamation by the Governor of the State of California

WHEREAS, the Ottoman Empire executed a prolonged program of terror and mass execution that resulted in the deaths of more than 1.5 million men, women, and children of Armenian heritage; and

WHEREAS, a million and a half Armenians were killed during the Armenian Genocide because of the abhorrent ignorance, intolerance, and inhumanity that prevailed in Turkey during the year 1915; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian Genocide is a well documented fact and yet has been consistently denied by the Turkish government; and

WHEREAS, to ensure that the terrible truth is never forgotten and that future generations of Armenian Americans and Californians can lear about this painful and important episode in history, schools and universities throughout California should promote awareness and teach students about the Armenian Genocide; and

WHEREAS, we must all do our best to rasie awareness about the Armenian Genocide not only because it is an undeniable chapter of world history, but also because learning more about this unconscionable tragedy will help people better understand the necessity of eliminating hatred from our own communities; and

WHEREAS, April 24th marks the 86th anniversary of the Armneian Genocide, a day we recall one of the most heinous tragedies of the 20th century, and a day hundreds of thousands of Armenians living in California mourn the unjustifiable loss of their forefathers;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GRAY DAVIS, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2001 as a "State Day of Rememberace for the Armenian Genocide."

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 11th day of April 2001.

[signed]
Grey Davis
Governor of California