The College of Humanities & Social Sciences is hosting a public lecture led by Judge Nicholas Koumjian, joined by moderator CHSS Dean Thomas Samuelian, Governor Dukakis, and his wife Katharine Dukakis. The aim of the lecture is to emphasize the importance of calling the Armenian Genocide by its right name as a step toward recognition, and preventing future genocides. Calling the Armenian Genocide by its right name may also result in closure, and possibly act a catalyst for peace between the Armenian and Turkish communities around the world.
As the recent conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic escalated again, lasting peace could not be achieved as long as neighbors are haunted by the unresolved problems of the past, and as long as the world fails to put the lives of real people and their welfare before commercial interests, legal constructs, and geopolitical rivalry. The theme of “calling things by their right names” has been chosen for AUA’s Armenian Genocide Commemorative event this year.
Judge Nicholas Koumjian of the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia, is in charge of hearing human rights violations including charges of genocide in Cambodia. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Koumjian was Senior Appeals Counsel for the prosecution of the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone. He represented Abdallah Banda and Saleh Jerbo before the International Criminal Court in a case involving the situation in Darfur, and assisted victims from the Ivory Coast on a pro-bono basis. He was previously Principal Trial Attorney for the trial of Charles Taylor, headed the UN-funded Serious Crimes Unit in East Timor, and was a trial attorney at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Before entering the international arena, Mr. Koumjian worked as a prosecutor in Los Angeles for twenty years.
Recently in condemning the destruction of the Christian and ethnic minority communities of Syria as genocide, Sec’y of State Kerry underscored that it is important to “call things by their right names.” This theme has been chosen for AUA’s Armenian Genocide Commemorative event this year.
The event aims to contribute to awareness of the need to call the Armenian Genocide by its right name as a step toward preventing further genocides and toward finding closure on this issue for Armenian and Turks as well as the rest of the world community. As the recent flare up in Karabagh underscored again, lasting peace is not possible as long as neighbors are haunted by the unresolved problems of the past and as long as the world fails to put the lives of real people and their welfare before commercial interests, legal constructs, and geopolitical rivalry.
Mr. Koumjian is well-known to the AUA community. He has been a visiting lecturer in our LL.M. program over the past several years. More information about Judge Nicholas Koumjian can be found at: http://www.eccc.gov.kh/en/
He will be joined by moderator, CHSS Dean Thomas Samuelian. Gov. & Mrs. Dukakis who are visiting Armenia for the first time will also take part in the event as special guests of AUA.
This event is in English. Simultaneous interpretation into Armenian will be provided.
Organizer: College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Phone: +374 60 69 40 40
Email: info@aua.am
Venue: Alex and Marie Manoogian Hall