George and Amal to be in Yereven, Armenia April 24th

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Google Translation:

Recognition of the Armenian Genocide: How the celebrities are on the forefront

System of A Down, Kim Kardashian, Amal Clooney ... As the world commemorates the centenary of the first genocide of the twentieth century, the Armenian Diaspora mobilizes its forces media to raise public awareness.

The American hip-hop star Kanye West jumping into a lake during a surprise concert. His wife, the more people that Kim Kardashian, creating a riot on social networks and posting on his Instagram account:

"Thousands of people were there! Kanye jumped into the lake to get closer to the crowd stationed on the other side and full of people then also jumped! It was such a crazy and exciting night! "

The scene could have taken place almost naturally in New York, London or Paris. She has performed in Yerevan, capital of Armenia, a small country of 3 million people wedged between Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The Kardashian family, consisting of Kim's sister Khloe's husband and their daughter Kanye North, organized a surprise trip to Armenia memory. The opportunity to meet with the Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, before taking off for Jerusalem and their children baptized in an Armenian cathedral. Kim Kardashian, reality TV producer, born in Los Angeles in 1980, is in fact the daughter of Robert Kardashian, American lawyer and descendant of deported the Armenian genocide of 1915.

George Clooney with Hollande and Putin

On the occasion of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, the main celebrations take place on April 24th, celebrities go up first in line for genocide recognition. The lawyer Amal Alamuddin-husband George Clooney and actor will travel to Yerevan on April 24 along with heads of state like Hollande or Vladimir Putin. Amal Clooney, senior lawyer, defends Armenia already before the European Court of Human Rights in the lawsuit against the Turkish denialist Dogu Perinçek.

The American rock band System of A Down, whose members are of Armenian descent, has in turn programmed April 7 special concerts in Europe. Entitled "Wake Up The Souls", is to the tour to commemorate 100 years of genocide and will end with a free show in Yerevan on 23 April. In their only French date in Lyon on 14 April, the group had already attacked the song Holy Mountain, which refers to Mount Ararat, a national symbol of Armenia, although located in Turkey today.

The Armenian diaspora in France, third in number (400,000) behind Russia (1.5 million) and the US (1.3 million), is not far behind. The world of culture, very important in the Armenian community had mobilized for the centenary, in the image of the songwriter and vowed to New Star André Manoukian, very present in the media in recent weeks, which gives a special concert in Villeurbanne on 23 April. But the actor Simon Abkarian, showing two films about the genocide this year: The Cut, the Turk Fatih Akin, 2015, The Movie of the American Garin Hovannisian. French actor of Armenian origin had already received the Molière Award for Best Actor in 2001, in a room telling the story of a survivor of the Armenian genocide. The comedian Mathieu Madénian or the variety of singers Helene Segara and Patrick Fiori, all of Armenian origin, complete the list of artists mobilized French side for the recognition of the genocide.

"Aznavour was no commitment to the community"

From the first massacres of 1894-1896, the indifference of the international community in the first modern genocide unworthy ones that count. "In order to counterbalance the power of chanceries and government media, they opposed their fame, celebrity, to inform and awaken public opinion," says Vincent Duclert, historian, professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales and co-author of Understanding the Armenian genocide. "Also, at what has been called the" silent crime ", intellectuals, writers, artists, scientists, as Anatole France, Charles Peguy or Max Jacob, parliamentarians like Jean Jaurès, jurists like André Mandelstam, if they are committed to knowledge and its transmission to the world. "

After years of neglect, the 1988 earthquake and the 1991 independence will be as for them both triggers the alarm clock in the diaspora. In the image of their most famous representative, Charles Aznavour, ranked in 2011 by the Russian-language magazine Luxury Armenian most famous in the world among 57 personalities. "Charles Aznavour is not at all committed to the community," says Jeanine Paloulian, former president of the Press Club of Lyon and journalist specializing on Armenian issues. "But from the earthquake, he felt involved and created an NGO, Aznavour for Armenia (APA)."

December 7, 1988, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale destroys the Spitak region of Armenia. Between 25,000 and 30,000 people died in the disaster. The country is bruised. Aznavour, with his charity song For you Armenia, but also the American singer of Armenian origin Cher, provide assistance to victims. The NGO Aznavour for Armenia allows the aftermath of the earthquake, order 300 prefabricated for the homeless, to deliver aid to hospitals and emergency food to families.

Now fully involved in the Armenian cause, French singer obtains Armenian citizenship in 2008. The following year, he was appointed Ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland, where he resides. At 90 years old, having blown hot and cold in the Armenian community in France, he decided to visit Yerevan on 24 April 2015 for the centenary celebrations and signs a long forum for genocide recognition in World pages.

"The Armenians were doomed to succeed"

As Aznavour, some personalities campaigned for genocide recognition late, almost a sign of treason for the diaspora. Edgar Boyajian, co-founder of Radio Armenia, remembers that the French director Henri Verneuil, whose real name Achod Malakian, "not committed on the end of his career." Others, like the actress Sylvie Vartan or F1 driver Alain Prost, have never claimed their Armenianness. As to the former Prime Minister Edouard Balladur, has always denied the Armenian origins despite testimony saying the opposite.

Activist or not, the list of Armenian celebrities still impressive for some 10 million Armenians worldwide (3 million in Armenia, 7 million diaspora). Politics, culture but also sports (two world champions 98 with Youri Djorkaeff and Alain Boghossian), the integration of Armenians was quick and efficient, the service of a single cause, inscribed in their flesh: the recognition of the Armenian genocide. "As Jews, Armenians arrived no way back," says Jeanine Paloulian. "We were condemned to succeed. It was even on the passport of our parents: "No coming back. '"

Thanks PAN.  Although Google translation sucks I get the gist.   Also read this week that Germany is formally recognizing that the massacre of the Armenians was genocide.

Mm, unfortunately this is becoming a bit of a hot potato, I think because President Obama is refusing to use the word 'genocide'.

This seems to be because of current concerns about Turkey and its borders and the fact that Turkey is part of NATO and that needs to continue in the current Middle East crisis.

Very very tricky..........

Donnamarie, Germany has not formally recognized the massacre of the Armenians as genocide. Not yet  It is a discussion here and in the News this week. Some German politcian want that but our Government does not confirm it yet. Maybe our government will officially do it in the next few days or not. Will be interesting to see. On Friday there will be a Statement. You are too early Donnamarie hehe. Wait until tomorrow.

PAN, i don't think Obama is "refusing". I'm sure Obama and our government like to call it genocide. but everyone is carefull what they want to risk. Russia is already a dangerous Partner why now risk it with Turkey. It is politics. They don't only have to look at the past also the future. they have to find a middle way.

Germany is anyway careful because we have many turkish People living here, like the US has many mexicans and the UK many Indish People.

And the Turkish leader Erdogan is nuts like Putin. I don't want that Germany starts a fight with Turkey.  We have enough Problems on our doorsteps with other countries. Oh well... who said a fight for justice is easy

Maybe this will help

Who Recognizes Armenian Genocide? 20 States That Formally Acknowledge 1915 Events

Uruguay was the first to do so in 1965, followed by Cyprus 10 years later, but no other countries formally recognized it until Russia did in 1995, starting a series of similar declarations. Seventeen more countries have recognized it since then; they are in chronological order: Canada (1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998), France (1998), Greece (1999), the Vatican (2000), Italy (2000), Switzerland (2003), Argentina (2004), Slovakia (2004), the Netherlands (2004), Venezuela (2005), Poland (2005), Lithuania (2005), Chile (2007), Sweden (2010) and Bolivia (2014).

The European Parliament, the International Association of Genocide Scholars and the Council of Europe also recognize it as a genocide. Germany will join that list on Friday, according to a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel.

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So let's see tomorrow if Germany will make it official   If yes i wonder how long it will take for the UK and US to follow....

the article sounds like it is already official but here the news are different and reserved and everyone is waiting for tomorrow even though one polician today called it already genocide.

Germany to Declare Turkey's 1915 War Crimes Against Armenians a Genocide

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government backed away on Monday from a steadfast refusal to use the term "genocide" to describe the massacre of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces 100 years ago after rebellious members of parliament forced its hand.
In a major reversal in Turkey's top trading partner in the European Union and home to millions of Turks, Germany joins other nations and institutions including France, the European parliament and Pope Francis in using the term condemned by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said the government would support a resolution in parliament on Friday declaring it an example of genocide.

Germany had long resisted using the term "genocide" even though France and other nations have. But Merkel's coalition government came under pressure from parliamentary deputies in their own ranks planning to use the word in a resolution.
"The government backs the draft resolution ... in which the fate of the Armenians during World War One serves as an example of the history of mass murders, ethnic cleansings, expulsions and, yes, the genocides during the 20th century," Seibert said.
Turkey denies that the killings, at a time when Ottoman troops were fighting Russian forces, constituted genocide. It says there was no organized campaign to wipe out Armenians and no evidence of any such orders from the Ottoman authorities.
"We believe that there is no such black stain in our history," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said when asked about the German resolution, saying similar votes in other parliaments had not changed Turkey's position.
But in an apparent softening of tone, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Ottoman Armenians would be commemorated at a religious ceremony in the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul on April 24, the 100th anniversary, in what he described as a "historic and humane" duty for Turkey.
A source in his office said the ceremony would be attended by a government minister, an unprecedented move.
"IMPORTANT ROLE"
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier had rejected using the word genocide in an ARD TV interview on Sunday, denying any suggestion that it was to avoid upsetting Turkey.
"Responsibility can't be reduced to a single term," he said.
Members of parliament from both Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats and their Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners forced the change.
Analysts said that the reluctance until now from Germany, a country that works hard to come to terms with the Holocaust it was responsible for, was due to fears of upsetting Turkey and the 3.5 million Germans of Turkish origin or Turkish nationals living in Germany.
The German government also did not want to use the word due to concerns that the Herero massacres committed in 1904 and 1905 by German troops in what is now Namibia could also be called genocide, leading to reparation demands.
"It's a striking contradiction by the German government that Germany is denying the genocide of Armenians," said Ayata Bilgin, a political scientist at Berlin's Free University.
"Research has shown that external pressure on countries can have a considerable influence and Germany could play a very important role in this discussion on Turkey."

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Thanks Nicky for your insight. The Washington Post did claim that Germany was definitely going to declare the mass killings genocide so maybe as you said this is a bit premature.

Interestingly, there has not been attention here in the U.S. about our intent to declare a genocide. And I think for the reasons PAN mentioned Obama does not want to rock the boat with regard to our relationship with Turkey. The US has had issues with Erdogan in his resistance to help us in our fight against ISIS.

Yes, thank you for all the info, Nicky and Donnamarie.

Here's a pretty good article about Obama's predicament, and how he's had to go back on his word since becoming President:

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party animal - not! wrote:Yes, thank you for all the info, Nicky and Donnamarie.

Here's a pretty good article about Obama's predicament, and how he's had to go back on his word since becoming President:

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Good article.  Yea this is an unfortunate predicament for Obama.  For him to have to show deference to an unsavory Erdogan against his own convictions is one of the ugly realities of politics in our world.  I understand it's a strategic move on Obama's part but by not calling these mass murders genocide it blemishes the US's strong stance on human rights.  I'm sure Samantha Power was none too pleased.

I can't see the point of drawing "celebrity" into this.....Surely these occasions are marked with solemnity and respect for the victims, non of whom are alive......I am very fearful of the celebrity also bought to the 14 Hooded Men of Ireland.....This is my patch.....believe me everyone here deserves an apology from some side or other.....non of us look for it, we know peace is hard won and fragile beyond belief....I don't want this to attract any further celebrity, I don't want young dudes who did not live through my childhood and teenage years to think that there is any "glamour" in the misery of conflict....Already over here young dudes in their early 20, no matter how educated consider Sinn Fein a legitimate political party.....ignoring the fact that they were/are the IRA..... It took 9/11 for America to appreciate that bombing on a daily basis brings no "glamour"  only terror.....

I was thinking of writing to Mr Nick Clooney, GC Father to ask him to ask his Daughter in Law to stand back from picking this scab of the 14 Hooded Men......It is still healing and too fragile for use....

As we see above, the possibility for misinterpretation comes with enormous consequences.

Hear what you say, WWHS, but I think this could all be a publicity stunt the Armenians would love to have them there. 

But they certainly weren't standing next to Putin or Hollande anyway, and I don't see the Clooneys doing a Kartrashian on such a solemn occasion. It just wouldn't be appropriate.

What Would He Say wrote:I can't see the point of drawing "celebrity" into this.....Surely these occasions are marked with solemnity and respect for the victims, non of whom are alive......I am very fearful of the celebrity also bought to the 14 Hooded Men of Ireland.....This is my patch.....believe me everyone here deserves an apology from some side or other.....non of us look for it, we know peace is hard won and fragile beyond belief....I don't want this to attract any further celebrity, I don't want young dudes who did not live through my childhood and teenage years to think that there is any "glamour" in the misery of conflict....Already over here young dudes in their early 20, no matter how educated consider Sinn Fein a legitimate political party.....ignoring the fact that they were/are the IRA..... It took 9/11 for America to appreciate that bombing on a daily basis brings no "glamour"  only terror.....

I was thinking of writing to Mr Nick Clooney, GC Father to ask him to ask his Daughter in Law to stand back from picking this scab of the 14 Hooded Men......It is still healing and too fragile for use....

As we see above, the possibility for misinterpretation comes with enormous consequences.

I can appreciate your concerns as I lived through the problem years in UK.
Forgiveness is a hard thing to do and can cost family splits.

I think if Mrs Clooney is invited to take on that case, about which I know very little,
there must be many reasons why she has decided to.
Speaking personally, I can only trust her judgement in this matter.

Thanks Jo.....x

I don't think Nick should be asked anything, she is his daughter in law. I don't think Nick would ever interfere wih Amal doing her job. Amal is quite capable of choosing her cases and must feel there is something that can be done.

George took on his involvement in the Armenian issue because of a direct interest.  Not On Our Watch's role is to bring a spotlight to mass atrocities like the Armenian genocide.  Amal's interest stems from the current case she is working on in the international court.  I think the two of them being at the 100th year anniversary is completely appropriate and they will handle their presence there in a respectable manner.  

I don't know much of the Hooded Men case that Amal has chosen to take on.  But Amal has handled many cases during her career.  As Joanna stated I trust her judgement.  She's a very smart lawyer.  Far be it for me to question her involvement.

Why would Nick be so presumptuous as to interfere in his daughter in law's work?

Excellent post, Donnamarie. You said it all. Except that I'm not sure that they're there at all.......

And I'd hazard a guess that WWHS could have been referring to Nick Clooney's Irish connections and history. And i understand what she means about recent scars

But I'm sure that there must be a legal case to answer and evidence in the Hooded Men's case, otherwise it would not have been taken up.

PAN, looking at George on set today I just realized he's not in Armenia.  I think we all thougt he was going.  Wonder if the shooting schedule changed or is running behind and he couldn't get away. Or if Amal might have gone on her own.  Curious.

I can't really speak to WWHS's comments re the Hooded Men case because all that I know about it I've read here. 
I sense she has very strong feelings.  But Amal would have researched the case and spoke to a number of other legal minds before pursuing her involvement.  She may have even talked to Nick as an aside.  If she does talk to George about her cases he may have suggested that she talk to his dad.  We just don't know.  But I wouldn't question her judgement.

WWHS - The impression I've gotten is that the Hooded Men case was going ahead well before Amal's name was attached to it. I don't know a lot about it, but it seems like one of those cases she'd take because of its effect on the law rather than the the actual content of the case.

I think George's involvement in Armenia is a natural extension of his humanitarian work in Not On Our Watch, SatSentinel and Sudan. It would also seem to be a logical fit to the professional portfolio Amal seems to be trying to build for herself.