SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) has announced ANC America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian as its international guest for ANC Australia Advocacy Week 2010.

ANC Australia Advocacy Week, which runs from 21-28 November, will be a focused campaign to have Australia's Federal Parliament recognise the Armenian Genocide as a crime against humanity.

Hachikian, a Harvard MBA, has served with the ANCA since the early 1970s. He now represents 1.7million Armenian-Americans as Chairman of the largest and most influential Armenian-American public affairs organisation.

Most recently under his leadership, the ANCA was successful in having the USA House Committee on Foreign Affairs pass a resolution recognising the Armenian Genocide and recommending that the full house of the USA Congress do the same.

After a week of public events and political campaigns, ANC Australia Advocacy Week will reach its peak at the ANC Australia Annual Banquet on Friday 26 November, where Hachikian will address the gathered.

ANC Australia Executive Director Varant Meguerditchian reflected on the news that Hachikian will add his weight to Advocacy Week activities.

"To attract guests of this calibre during a very important week in the advancement for the recognition of historical truths will undoubtedly assist our efforts," Meguerditchian said.

"We now call on all Armenian-Australians and all advocates for a just resolution of the Armenian Genocide to join ANC Australia, Ken Hachikian and our friends in Australian politics as we focus on recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Australia during Advocacy Week."

Hachikian will appear at a number of public events during his stay in Australia during Advocacy Week including: ANC Australia Day on Sunday 21 November; Q & A with Ken on Wednesday 24 November; and  ANC Australia Annual Banquet on Friday 26 November.

Further details of ANC Australia Advocacy Week will be released in coming weeks.


KEN HACHIKIAN Biography

Kenneth Hachikian grew up in Boston, MA. as a second generation Armenian-American. He graduated from Harvard College with a BA in Economics and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Hachikian started his career with The Boston Consulting Group, where he provided consulting to Fortune 1000 companies. Subsequently, he has been CEO or COO of several businesses in health care services, equipment leasing, computer services, and manufacturing. He is currently a partner in The Stonegate Group, which is a boutique investment banking firm.

In 2001, he became Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America where he has been involved in grassroots capacity building, advocacy efforts with both Congress and the Administration, and fundraising.