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CC - Item 6C - Armenian Genocide Centennial Anniversary ResolutionROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM: JEFF ALLRED, CITY MANAGER DATE: APRIL 28, 2015 SUBJECT: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY RESOLUTION SUMMARY Council Member Armenta has proposed that the City Council consider adoption of a Resolution to recognize and commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This tragedy commenced 100 years ago, in April of 2015, under the jurisdiction of the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire. Per this request, the attached Resolution has been prepared for City Council consideration. Attachment ITEMNO. ��� RESOLUTION NO. 2015-23 RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD DESIGNATING APRIL 2015 AS THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WHEREAS, the Armenian people were subjects of a systematic and premediated genocidal campaign which began in April of 1915, at the hands of the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire whereby over 1 million Armenian men, women and children were slaughtered or marched to their deaths in the first genocide of the 20th Century; and WHEREAS, during this first genocide of the 20th Century, thousands of Assyrians, Greeks and other Christians also lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman Empire; and WHEREAS, these crimes against humanity also had the consequence of removing Armenians and other targeted people from their historic homelands, and enriching the perpetrators with the lands and other property of the victims of these crimes, including the usurpation of many churches; and WHEREAS, in response to the genocide, and at the behest of the President Woodrow Wilson and the U.S. State Department, the Near East Relief organization was founded as the first Congressionally - sanctioned American philanthropic effort created exclusively to provide humanitarian assistance; and WHEREAS, the Near East Relief organization rescued many Armenian people and other Christian minorities from annihilation, who went on to survive and thrive outside of their ancestral homelands all over the world and specifically in the State of California; and WHEREAS, every person should be aware of and educated about the Armenian genocide and other crimes against humanity, and know that April 1915 is recognized as the commencement of the Armenian genocide and that April 2015 marks the centennial anniversary of its commencement. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD AS FOLLOWS: That the City of Rosemead hereby recognizes April 2015 as the Centennial Anniversary of the Armenian genocide, in order to ensure that this tragedy is properly commemorated and recognized by the community at large. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rosemead on the 28th day of April, 2015. ATTEST: Gloria Molleda City Clerk Margaret Clark Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: Rachel Richman City Attorney