ANCC Western Region Representatives Advocate for Artsakh and Armenia with US Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen

On March 16 , 2024, at the annual SUCCESS gala held in Vancouver, B.C. the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) Western Region representatives Vahig Agopian, Vahe Adonian, Vanessa Bardakjian Agopian, Meghrig Sulahian and Sevan Agopian were privileged to engage in candid discussions with U.S. Ambassador David L. Cohen from Ottawa and Vancouver’s U.S. Consul General Jim DeHat. Throughout the event, the representatives shed light on the prevalent human rights violations in Armenia and the broader region, particularly emphasizing the atrocities of ethnic cleansing and the forced deportation of 150 thousand indigenous Armenians from their ancestral homeland, the Republic of Artsakh.

Their advocacy fervently called for the return of these displaced Armenians to their rightful homes. Furthermore, they underscored the ongoing cultural genocide perpetrated by Azeris and Turks in occupied territories, expressing deep disappointment in the perceived lack of action from the US, which they believed only fueled further chaos and distraction. Despite assurances from the ambassador regarding monitoring ANCC representatives expressed their discontent with what they perceived as mere rhetoric from the US towards the Armenian diaspora, urging for concrete condemnation and decisive action against Azerbaijan and Turkey’s aggressive tactics. They reiterated the profound significance of Artsakh to Armenia and stressed the imperative for the United States to comprehend this reality for the sake of achieving lasting peace in the region.