Detroit Knights of Vartan Sponsor 6th Workshop on Genocide

SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—In 2015, Armenians worldwide will commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide through a series of educational and cultural programs. As one of their planned Centennial commemoration activities, the Detroit Knights of Vartan, Nareg Shavarshan Lodge will participate in the 40^th Annual Great Lakes History Conference scheduled for Oct. 10-11, 2014 at Grand Valley State University.

The conference focuses on the Holocaust and genocides throughout history. The Knights will sponsor Dr. Mary Johnson, a founding member and senior historian from Facing History and Ourselves, to present four workshops during the two-day conference incorporating the history of the Armenian Genocide.

More than 240 genocide and Holocaust scholars, as well as historians, professors, and teachers are anticipated to participate in this year’s conference.

To date, the Detroit chapter of the Knights of Vartan has hosted six workshops in the metro Detroit tri-county area—free of charge, to hundreds of educators—to promote awareness of the Armenian Genocide. The long-term goal of the Knights is to introduce the history of the genocide into the Michigan high school curricula. Similar efforts in recent years have been successful in Massachusetts and California.

The average cost to sponsor a workshop locally is $5,000. These funds are raised annually by the Knights of Vartan through the generous donations of metro Detroit benefactors. It is a small price to pay for a project that advances the just cause for the recognition of the first genocide of the 20^th century.

The Knights of Vartan, Nareg Shavarshan Lodge is committed to its mission of preserving the Armenian heritage by supporting Armenian churches, schools, and charitable institutions on a local, national, and international level.