Tens of Millions of Americans Learn for the First Time What Happened in Khojaly

Advertising, events and legislative initiatives highlight public awareness campaign

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Before Thursday, February 23rd, few Americans had ever heard of Khojaly, the village in the Nagorno Karabakh region where 613 Azerbaijani women, children and men where slaughtered on February 26th, 1992.  Now, thanks to a massive public education campaign launched yesterday by the Azerbaijan America Alliance, tens of millions of Americans are learning for the first time about the Khojaly tragedy, which occurred during a war initiated by Armenia and Armenian separatists in Nagorno Karabakh,  a region that has been occupied along with other Azerbaijani territory by Armenia since 1992.

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(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120224/NY59509-c)

Americans are encountering advertisements headlined "Khojaly: A Human Tragedy Against Azerbaijan" in full page displays in the national editions of the New York Times and Washington Post,  in Washington Metro stations, buses, bus shelters and other transportation venues in Washington DC and New York City, in on-line outlets and in tens of thousands of flyers distributed to passersby in key locations. (See ad at http://www.azerbaijanamericaalliance.org/).

The ads and extensive media outreach efforts are directing Americans to the Alliance's website (www.azerbaijanamericaalliance.org), where they are urged to "Help America by Helping Azerbaijan" and "Honor the victims of the Khojaly massacre" by taking two steps: ask Congress to rescind its prohibition on direct aid to the government of Azerbaijan (Section 907 of the 1992 Freedom Support Act); and ask President Obama to be more actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced official statement in the 2012 Congressional Record calling attention to the Khojaly tragedy, including Ted Poe (R-TX), Bill Shuster (R-PA), Steve Cohen ( D-TN) and  Dan Boren, (D-OK). Also, under the auspices of the Azerbaijan America Alliance, Congressional representatives are participating in an educational video that will explain the importance of Azerbaijan to America's security and economic well-being and tell the story of Khojaly.  The video will show how Azerbaijan is a key ally in the war on terror and in Afghanistan and a key source of oil and gas to the West. Participants include Representatives Joe Wilson (R-SC), Corrine Brown (D-Florida), Randy Hultgren (R-IL), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Ted Poe (R-TX), members of the Illinois State legislature, members of the Mississippi State legislature, and Azerbaijan Ambassador to the United States Elin Suleymanov.

Throughout the U.S., events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy are taking place. A small sample includes a lecture by author Thomas Goltz hosted by the Azerbaijan Society of America at the Turkish Center in New York City on February 25th;  a commemorative event at the Florida Turkish Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on February 25th; a commemoration at the Turkish Community Center in Troy, Michigan on February 26th; and an educational event at the Columbia University School of Social Work in New York City on March 1st.

The Azerbaijan America Alliance is a non-partisan, non-profit organization providing information broadly about the people, culture, society, industry, history and current events of the Azeri people. Its mission is to foster an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect between the people of Azerbaijan and America. Through academic discussion, cultural programming, and political discourse, the Alliance aims to become the premier organization dedicated to promoting a lasting partnership between Azerbaijan and America.

Contact:
Andrew Frank  (212) 935-0210

SOURCE Azerbaijan America Alliance