Fresno State students plan Armenian Genocide anniversary event

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Every year, Fresno State’s Armenian Student Organization prepares a commemorative event for the Armenian Genocide.

That historic day is on April 24, and work is well underway by the student organization. Not only is it the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, but it’s also the 10th anniversary of the construction of Fresno State’s Armenian Genocide monument, modeled after the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial complex in Yerevan.

“Every year, we always do something at noon time, and in the evening, the community does the broader event,” Fresno State Armenian Student Organization’s Berberian Coordinator, Barlow Der Mugrdechian, said.

“The event starts with a silent march across the campus. We will have flowers to lay down and then a few speakers, including professors and students. Afterward, we will have some Armenian music in the theme of the genocide,” Fresno State Armenian Student Organization President, Harutyun Amirkhanyan said.

The slogan of this year’s Armenian Genocide Commemorative event is “Bound by Blood, United by a Cause” because this year’s anniversary is significant.

This year also marks 10 years since the construction of Fresno State’s Armenian Genocide Monument.

“Time has just flown by, 10 years since it was built, but still a very important landmark for Fresno,” Der Mugrdechian said.

A landmark that wouldn’t stand without Barlow.

“The Armenian genocide commemorative committee was trying to figure out ways of marking that 100th anniversary, and one of the ideas was to put a genocide monument, and my suggestion was to put it up on campus,” Der Mugrdechian said.

Every pillar on the monument is a reminder of Armenia’s history and present

“We want not only to raise awareness about the genocide itself, but the overall continuous atrocities that take place against Armenian people,” Der Mugrdechian said.

In 2023, 120,000 Armenians were ethnically cleansed by Azerbaijan. The continued threat against the Armenian people is why this year’s anniversary holds deeper meaning.

“All of this is a way to again, honor those who passed away or died in the Armenian genocide but also to just learn about our own history and culture,” Der Mugrdechian said.

Fresno’s Armenian genocide commemorative committee will also hold a remembrance event at the monument at 6:30 p.m. on April 24.