ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian Salutes the ‘Best of Us’ in Speech at ANCA-WR Gala

LOS ANGELES—Armenian National Committee of America Chairman Raffi Hamparian traveled coast to coast this weekend, offering powerful remarks at the ANCA – Western Region and ANCA – Eastern Region galas, saluting the elected officials, community advocates, and media outlets who are “the best of us” – each, in their own way, advancing the North Star values of the Armenian Cause – “security for the Republic of Armenia, freedom and liberty restored for the Republic of Artsakh, justice for the crime of genocide, and a strong and vibrant and engaged Armenian diaspora.”

Hamparian made the following remarks at the 2024 ANCA-WR Gala held on October 20 at The Beverly Hilton.

This evening, the ANCA Western Region fortifies us, strengthens us, and emboldens us to keep aligned with the North Star values of the Armenian Cause – security for the Republic of Armenia, freedom and liberty restored for the Republic of Artsakh, justice for the crime of genocide, and a strong and vibrant and engaged Armenian diaspora.

There is no better way to highlight these North Star values than by saluting the best of us.

Those who speak truth to power in the halls of Congress—Congresswoman Dina Titus and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo—are the best of us.

Those like Ruben Vardanyan, who are paying such a high price for Artsakh’s freedom – the idea that Armenians have the right to live in safety and liberty in our Artsakh homeland. He is the best of us.

Those like Sam Simonian, who invest again and again to make sure that the Armenian nation is strong, vibrant, and moving forward. He is the best of us.

And those like 301, Zartonk, and the Armenian Report, who speak truth to power. They are the best of us.

Let me conclude by referencing someone who you may know. His name is Karekin Der-Harutunian, known to many of us as Karekin Njdeh, famous for establishing the Armenian Youth Federation on January 14, 1933.

I think of him now, given the days we are enduring, the pressure on the Armenian Cause, and the calls by some to surrender all that we hold dear – our freedom, our liberty, our honor, our Cause.

I know, in these times, he would not crumble to pieces under pressure. He would not kneel, he would not bend, he would not bow, and he would not break. More than likely, he would do what he did in May of 1918.

On the fields of Karakilisa, he went to General Nazarbekian, the commander of all Armenian forces, and he said, “Commander Nazarbekian, what should I do?”

In those fateful days, when the fate of the Armenian nation was on the line, Nazarbekian responded to Njdeh, “We have no army. Do what you can.” And Njdeh, with those words, went on to save the army and nation. He did what he could. And there is an Armenia today because he did.

And so, in these fateful days, let us draw sustenance, inspiration, and lessons from Njdeh’s courage.

And, let us remember the words of a remarkable American that “The greatness comes not when things go always good for you. But the greatness comes when you’re really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes. Because only if you’ve been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.”

Respect to the ANCA – Western Region for aligning us with our North Star values.

God bless you all.

God bless the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh.

And God bless America.