Advocacy

Advocacy 101

📢 What is Advocacy?

Advocacy involves actively supporting, promoting, or influencing policies, issues, or causes to create change. It often includes raising awareness, educating the public, and engaging decision-makers to bring attention to critical issues.

In the context of Armenian advocacy, it involves efforts to:

  • Secure justice for the Armenian Genocide
  • Protect the rights of Armenians in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)
  • Strengthen the Armenian diaspora's influence on global policy

Education:

  • Host a panel on the Armenian Genocide's impact
  • Screen documentaries on the Artsakh conflict
  • Hold workshops on Armenia's geopolitical issues
  • Distribute educational brochures at events
  • Collaborate with cultural clubs for joint programs

Public Relations:

  • Share event details through Instagram stories and polls
  • Organize media days with student journalists
  • Write social media posts and infographics
  • Share engaging content to spread awareness
  • Create press kits for media use

Lobbying:

  • Use pre-written email templates for outreach
  • Run social media campaigns targeting politicians
  • Organize group visits to government offices
  • Create petitions for policy changes
  • Coordinate call-in days to representatives

Protests & Demonstrations:

  • Organize campus walkouts
  • Hold peaceful protests in public spaces
  • Create impactful protest signs
  • Set up candlelight vigils
  • Plan photo opportunities for social media

Social Media Advocacy:

  • Post daily "Did you know?" facts on Snapchat
  • Host Instagram Live sessions with speakers
  • Share viral-worthy videos about Armenian history
  • Launch story takeovers about Armenian topics

ANCA's Capitol Hill Advocacy Days:

Organized by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), this annual event brings Armenian advocates to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress and push for policies that support Armenia and Artsakh.

Armenian Genocide Commemoration Events (April 24):

Held globally on April 24, these events commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide and raise awareness about genocide recognition.

Artsakh Solidarity Rallies:

In response to ongoing conflicts or humanitarian crises in Artsakh, solidarity rallies are organized by various Armenian communities worldwide.

Grassroots Lobbying Days:

Many Armenian organizations organize grassroots lobbying events throughout the year, encouraging citizens to engage their local representatives on issues impacting Armenia and Artsakh.

Student-Led Advocacy Initiatives:

Students can organize awareness days, invite speakers to campus, or lead social media campaigns to highlight issues such as the Armenian Genocide, the situation in Artsakh, or Armenian cultural preservation.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Research:

  • Understand your student government's structure and the process for introducing resolutions
  • Identify key representatives, such as senators or advocacy chairs, who may support your initiative

Draft the Resolution:

  • Use clear language and accurate historical references
  • Create a ready-to-use draft to make it easier for student government members

Build Support:

  • Collaborate with your local Armenian Students' Association (ASA), other organizations, and faculty
  • Utilize petitions and public endorsements to demonstrate widespread support

Engage Decision-Makers:

  • Schedule meetings with key representatives to present your case
  • Secure sponsorship for your resolution

Present and Follow-up:

  • Attend the student government meeting to present your resolution
  • Address any questions and concerns
  • Work with student leaders to publicize and implement the resolution

Guide to Passing Student Government Resolutions:

Condemning Attacks on Armenia(ns) and Artsakh

Goals:

  • Acknowledge the violence and displacement faced by Armenians
  • Condemn actions that violate international human rights laws

Resolution Diction:

Advocacy for Armenians reflects broader values of justice, diversity, and standing against oppression. Supporting Armenian students on campus fosters education on human rights and genocide prevention on a societal and global scale.

The violence and displacement faced by Armenians from Artsakh are part of a broader pattern of historical and ongoing human rights abuses purported by the Turkish and Azerbaijani regimes. International mechanisms must address these systemic issues to ensure accountability.

Example Resolution:

"A Resolution Condemning the Genocide of the Ethnic Armenian Population of Artsakh and Calling for the University of California's Immediate Divestment from the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkey"

Honoring Genocide Recognition

Goals:

  • Officially recognize the Armenian Genocide to honor victims and descendants
  • Commit to countering denial through education and advocacy

Resolution Diction:

Raising awareness about the Armenian Genocide and the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh contributes to global efforts in genocide prevention. Learning from history is critical to upholding international human rights norms.

The Armenian Genocide of 1915 was the systematic killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. Denial of this genocide remains widespread, perpetuating harm to Armenians and distorting history.

Example Resolution:

"A Resolution in Solidarity with the Armenians of Artsakh, and Demanding that UCLA Stand with Armenian Students and Denounce Armenophobia"

Organizations:

ANCA (Armenian National Committee of America)

Offers policy updates, calls to action, and events.

Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC)

Organization that advocates for the Armenian community in Canada, focusing on issues like the Armenian Genocide recognition and support for Armenia and Artsakh.

Armenian National Committee of the U.K. (ANC-UK):

Promote and protect the interests of the Armenian community, with a focus on raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide and supporting Armenia-related causes.

European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD):

Promotes Armenian interests in Europe, focusing on justice, democracy, and advocacy for Armenia and Artsakh.

Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU):

Promotes Armenian culture and rights, serving as a strong voice for the community within Australia.

Social Media Accounts to Follow:

Instagram:

  • @zartonkmedia: Zartonk Media is very active on Instagram, sharing real-time news updates, information on advocacy campaigns, and highlights of important events related to Armenian causes. They often post about protests, government actions, and grassroots movements.
  • @huysmedia: Huys Media is an Armenian platform dedicated to sharing uplifting stories, news, and advocacy updates, inspiring the Armenian community by highlighting resilience, cultural pride, and progress.
  • @hairenik_: Hairenik Media is a well-established Armenian news outlet covering political, cultural, and community issues, focusing on connecting the global Armenian diaspora with developments in Armenia and Artsakh.

Twitter:

  • @AGBU: The Armenian General Benevolent Union shares information on cultural, educational, and humanitarian initiatives, highlighting their advocacy work for the Armenian community worldwide.

Stay Updated on Current Armenian Events:

Armenian Genocide

Genocide and Artsakh One-Pager Thumbnail

Download and share this resource to educate your community.

Books:

The Road from Home (David Kherdian)

The Road from Home
(David Kherdian)

A Shameful Act (Taner Akçam)

A Shameful Act
(Taner Akçam)

40 Days of Musa Dagh (Franz Werfel)

40 Days of Musa Dagh
(Franz Werfel)

Operation Nemesis (Eric Bogosian)

Operation Nemesis
(Eric Bogosian)

Black Dog of Fate (Peter Balakian)

Black Dog of Fate
(Peter Balakian)

The Burning Tigris (Peter Balakian)

The Burning Tigris
(Peter Balakian)

The Armenian Genocide: Wartime Radicalization or Premeditated Continuum (Richard G. Hovannisian)

The Armenian Genocide:
Wartime Radicalization or Premeditated Continuum
(Richard G. Hovannisian)

Survivors: An Oral History Of The Armenian Genocide (Donald E. Miller)

Survivors: An Oral History
Of The Armenian Genocide
(Donald E. Miller)

Videos:

Documentaries:

Artsakh

Artsakh One-Pager Thumbnail

This one-pager provides an overview of Artsakh, highlighting key facts and events. It's a concise resource to help spread awareness about the region's history and ongoing challenges.

  • 189 BCE - 387 AD: Artsakh is a province of the Kingdom of Armenia.
  • 387 AD - 1805: Armenians of Artsakh practice varying degrees of autonomy under foreign rule.
  • 1817-1918: Artsakh stands under the Russian Empire.
  • 1918: Azerbaijan declares its first independence, laying claim to Artsakh's territory.
  • 1920 (March): Azerbaijani troops kill up to 20,000 Armenians in the city of Shushi, changing the city’s demographics to hold an Azerbaijani ethnic majority.
  • 1920 (November): The Soviet Union encompasses Armenia and Azerbaijan, freezing the status of Artsakh.
  • 1921: The Central Committee votes that Artsakh is to be part of Azerbaijan SSR, despite the 94.4% Armenian-majority population.
  • 1923: Joseph Stalin creates Artsakh as the "Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast" (NKAO) within Azerbaijan SSR.
  • 1988 (February): Under "glasnost," Armenians in Yerevan advocate for the unification of Artsakh and Armenia.
  • 1988 (February): During the Sumgait Pogrom, Azerbaijani mobs attack, murder, and mutilate Armenians in Sumgait, Azerbaijan SSR. A similar pogrom occurs in Kirovabad.
  • 1988 (March): Moscow rejects the petition for unification.
  • 1990 (January): During the Baku Massacre, Armenians in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, are targeted, murdered, or expelled from the city.
  • 1991 (December): NKAO declares independence in line with the Soviet Constitution.
  • 1991-1994: Artsakh's independence is rejected, leading to a full-scale war until a ceasefire agreement is signed in 1994.
  • 2016 (April): Azerbaijan violates the ceasefire and launches a war on the Republic of Artsakh, resulting in hundreds of casualties within a 4-day period.
  • 2020 (September-November): Azerbaijan launches a full-scale invasion of Artsakh, leading to over 4,000 Armenian deaths and the withholding of hundreds of Armenian POWs.
  • 2022-2023: On December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan blockades the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, leaving 100,000 Armenians without necessary supplies for survival.
  • 2023 (September): Azerbaijan launches a large-scale attack on the Republic of Artsakh, targeting both military and civilian infrastructure. The Republic capitulates, leading to the ethnic cleansing and forced displacement of effectively all Armenians in the region. The blockade and exile arguably constitute genocide.

⚠️ War Crimes Documentation

Documentation by Period:

Primary Documentation Database:

Content Warning

The following content contains explicit documentation of war crimes. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. All-ASA chooses to not filter out these crimes against humanity and believes that confronting inhumane treatment is essential to grasping the urgency of further horrors committed against Armenians.

Additional Reports and Articles:

  • July 7, 1988: No C 235/86 Official Journal of the European Communities

    📄 View Document

  • October 8, 2020: Statement by the European Union at the 1284th meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council

    📄 View Document

  • March 9, 2022: European Parliament Joint Motion for a Resolution

    📄 View Document

  • May 19, 2021: European Parliament resolution on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey

    📄 View Document

  • Baroness Cox Visit Reports:

    📄 View Reports

Social Media Content

Statement Templates:

Artsakh Awareness Month Templates:

Armenian Genocide Templates:

Armenian History Month Templates:

#StopAzerbaijaniAggression #PeaceForArmenia #NeverAgain #ArmenianStudentVoices #ArtsakhAwareness #ArtsakhStrong

Nonprofit Organizations

All For Armenia

Guided by humanitarian values, All For Armenia provides aid and sustainable projects to support frontline communities and refugees of the 2020 Artsakh War.

Armenian Educational Foundation (AEF)

AEF provides scholarships and renovates schools in Armenia, Artsakh, and Javakhk, having disbursed over $9M since 2000 for various education programs.

Armenian Mission

Armenian Mission provides material, psychological, and educational support to families displaced by the last two wars in Artsakh.

Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA)

AMAA serves 24 countries with education, evangelism, humanitarian aid, and medical missions, with significant programs in Armenia and Artsakh.

Armenian Wounded Heroes Fund (AWHF)

AWHF supports wounded heroes and frontline conditions with rehabilitation programs, improving recovery and reintegration efforts.

Center for Truth and Justice

CFTJ collects and preserves testimonials of war crime survivors, serving as evidence for justice and as a memorial for crimes against humanity.

Code 3 Angels

Code 3 Angels provides emergency aid and STEM education, with a mission rooted in Armenian values of caring for others globally.

Freedom Loving Youth (FLY)

FLY supports single mothers and children in extreme poverty in Armenia through humanitarian aid, education, and empowerment programs.

Front Line Therapists

Front Line Therapists provides mental health services, addressing trauma from the Artsakh War for soldiers and civilians.

Hayk For Our Heroes (HFOH)

HFOH empowers the diaspora while supporting developmental and humanitarian projects in Armenia.

Hidden Road Initiative (HRI)

HRI offers educational and leadership opportunities in remote villages in Armenia and Artsakh through scholarships and summer camps.

Teach for Armenia

Teach for Armenia empowers leaders to expand educational opportunities for children in Armenia and Artsakh.

TUMO Foundation

TUMO provides free creative education for teens through self-guided activities, workshops, and project labs in 14 learning targets.

Veterans of Armenia

Veterans of Armenia supports families and veterans impacted by the 2020 war through healthcare, rehabilitation, and mental health programs.