Armenian National Committee of America
The Armenian National Committee of America is an Armenian American grassroots organization. Its headquarters is in Washington, D.C., and it has regional offices in Glendale, California, and Watertown, Massachusetts.
History
The ANCA was founded as ACIA in 1918 and was then founded as the ANCA in 1941. The ANCA is an outgrowth of the American Committee for the Independence of Armenia which was founded after World War I by Vahan Cardashian, the former Consul of the Ottoman Empire in Washington. Many prominent American and Allied leaders including James W. Gerard, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Charles Evans Hughes, Elihu Root and others participated to this organization. The goal of ACIA was the independent Wilsonian Armenia. The ACIA had a Central Office in New York City and 23 regional offices in 13 states.Later, these offices gradually evolved into the Armenian National Committee of America, which expanded its activities to include public relations efforts to acquaint local communities about Armenian issues including the Armenian genocide and Armenian National aspirations. Other activities included April 24 commemoration activities, public forums, voter registration efforts, support for local and state political candidates, and updating the local community on Armenian issues.
The ANCA is active in different areas of political and educational activities, including:
- initiating the legislation on issues of concern to the Armenian American community, such as strengthening Armenia as a secure, prosperous and democratic state. Furthermore it advocates for the expansion of the Armenian state's borders as in accordance with the Treaty of Sevres. Additionally it supports Nagorno Karabakh's right to self-determination and independence within secure borders; etc.
- participation in the American electoral process at the federal, state, and local levels by educating elected officials about Armenian American issues and providing Armenian American voters with up-to-date information about the positions of candidates on Armenian American concerns.
- publication of congressional testimony, position papers, press releases, fact sheets, and regional newsletters.
1990–1999
Since the early 1990s, the ANCA has defended Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, restricting aid to the government of Azerbaijan.2000–2009
The ANCA was among the major organizations backing US House Resolution 106 which called for the United States to recognize the Armenian genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire during World War I.2010–2019
In 2014, ANCA-WR celebrated the California Senate's recognition of the Republic of Artsakh, with then-Executive Director Elen Asatryan stating "This resolution couldn't have come at a better time, given the recent escalated level of violence along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border, and as our freedom fighters continue to defend their right to live under a government of their own choosing."In 2017, the ANCA, in collaboration with the Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the Children of Armenia Fund, and the Diocese and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, launched the "The Promise to Educate" campaign to send copies of director Terry George's 2016 film The Promise and relevant Armenian genocide curriculum resources to public educational institutions across the United States.
On 25 May 2017, the ANCA issued a statement against Donald Trump's budget, which would cut 69.6% of the aid to Armenia. The ANCA stated: "We are troubled by Trump's ill-advised and misguided proposal to cut aid to Armenia."