New ANC executive director steps in

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New ANC executive director steps in

Vicken Papazian leaves post to join Los Angeles law firm. Alex Sardar, 26, takes

seat.

 

By CLAUDIA PESCHIUTTA

 

 

GLENDALE -- For Alex Sardar, it's a marriage of two loves -- politics and

Armenian issues.

The 26-year-old Glendale resident last week stepped into the role of executive

director of the Western Region of the Armenian National Committee, in which he will

serve as both a political activist and a representative for much of the Armenian

community in Burbank, Glendale and beyond.

"It was just the most ideal way to combine my interest in politics and the passion I

have for Armenian issues," he said.

Sardar replaced Vicken Papazian, who for five years had served as executive

director of the Glendale-based political organization, which represents 22 ANC

chapters in eight states.

Papazian, a 39-year-old attorney, said he wanted to go back to practicing law. He

will do so at the Los Angeles firm headed by the locally well-known father-and-son

team of Paul and Mark Geragos.

His time as executive director allowed him to work on raising political interest

among Armenians, Papazian said.

"Awakening a segment of the community that was previously dormant or not

engaged politically is probably the thing I am most proud of because I think Democracy

works best when as many people as possible are involved," he said. "The

Armenian-American community doesn't have the luxury of sitting back and watching

things develop. We have to be proactive."

But more work remains to be done, Papazian said.

"I'm always disappointed by the fact that my government, the U.S. government, has

yet to openly and without hesitation talk about the Armenian Genocide," he said.

Papazian will remain on the ANC's board of directors for the Western region.

Genocide recognition is also at the top of Sardar's agenda at the ANC, which is an

arm of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation or Dashnak Party.

"I'm a third-generation Genocide survivor so, this fulfills part of my duty as an

Armenian," he said.