Web Designer Helps The World Remember

[Nakharar]

Web Designer Helps the World Remember

 

Website lists Genocide commemorative events

 

Glendale Independent

April 14, 2005 - April 20, 2005

 

By Nimfa Rueda, Glendale Independent Weekly Editor

 

 

Armen Vartanian's 100-year old grandmother, Lucy was 10 years old when 1.5

million Armenians were said to have been killed by Ottoman Turks. Armen

Vartanian grew up hearing stories about the genocide, and also learned about

it in his history classes.

 

It greatly frustrates him that the Turkish government continues to refuse to

recognize the genocide, and also that it has not yet been fully recognized

here in the United States.

 

So three years ago, the 20-year-old web designer did what he does best:

create a website, where events commemorating the genocide all over the world

can be publicized.

 

"I feel that it is my duty to my community," said Vartanian, who graduated

from Crescenta Valley High School. "People should not forget (the genocide)

and man's inhumanity against man."

 

The website www.genocideevents.com, which started with a listing of Los

Angeles events, had a slow start in 2003.

 

"It took a while for people to know about the site," he said. The following

year, the site started listing national and even international events.

 

This year, the 90th anniversary of the genocide, the response has increased

dramatically, Vartanian said. Now, the website is so comprehensive it even

includes video clips about the genocide from broadcast news sources.

 

Increased interest in the website, however, also meant attracting the bad

guys. Vartanian, who runs a web design business on Broadway, had to deal

with hackers.

 

"They tried to redirect the site to websites that say the genocide never

happened," he said.

 

"They resort to hacking because they know they're losing the battle. The

genocide will soon get its much-deserved recognition."

 

Vartanian said they not only want recognition from Turkey and the United

States, but also "restitution" or the return of historical Armenian land and

property to the Armenian people.

 

To view the most current listing of Genocide commemorative events, visit

www.genocideevents.com