04/24/2025
Today, many sovereign states officially recognize the Armenian Genocide as a crime against Armenians and humanity—a milestone rooted as much in individual courage as in institutional resolution. We pay tribute to the countless who, long before any parliament took up the cause, spoke truth to power through literature and education, erected memorials, organized historic marches in the 1960s, lobbied foreign legislatures, and carried out other acts of resilience. Their steadfast efforts forged the collective memory that would later be enshrined in law and policy.
Among these pioneers, William Saroyan stands as a defining voice and the torchbearer of cultural remembrance. His defiant rallying cry—“Go ahead, destroy this race… See if they will not live again”—has resonated in Armenia and throughout the diaspora, quoted by writers, immortalized in film, featured at commemorative events, and woven into school curricula.
Today, we reaffirm Saroyan’s efforts and unwavering commitment to ensure that the memory of 1915 endures and is demanded.
Photo credits to Boghos Boghosyan, 1978, William Saroyan and Vahagn Davtyan in Tsitsernakaberd.