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In a recently published article in The Hill, titled "The Armenian genocide: Picking up where Reagan left off," Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) Board of Trustees Co-Chairman Anthony Barsamian and Assembly Life Trustee Noubar Afeyan urge President Donald Trump to affirm the Armenian Genocide as the April 24 anniversary approaches.

"President Reagan realized the importance of remembering the past, no matter how challenging it might be politically. He memorialized it in 1981 when he stated, 'Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it - and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples - the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten." He understood the importance of keeping this issue alive while others in history had chosen to minimize it or use it to advance their own agendas," Barsamian and Afeyan wrote.

They concluded: "Some have compared President Trump to President Reagan, especially when he disrupts the 'old order.'  For history's sake, on this April 24th - the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide - let us hope Trump can pick up where Reagan left off 36 years ago."

Last week, a bipartisan letter signed by 84 Members of Congress was sent to President Trump calling for him to affirm the Armenian Genocide, the Assembly reported. Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) spearheaded the letter asking the White House to honor the United States' historic leadership in defending human rights and to properly characterize the events of 1915 as a genocide in this year's presidential statement on April 24th.

The previous week, the Assembly commemorated the Armenian Genocide on Capitol Hill with Members of the House and Senate. Also this year, the Armenian National Institute opened its Armenian Genocide Library and offered a Turkish language version of its website, in addition to offering a mobile friendly version of the Armenian Genocide Museum of America.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues.