Our Office welcomed three, young Diaspora Armenians from Fresno, California. During the Second Artsakh War, Hovig Ohanian, Ani Zhamkochyan and Simon Zhamkochyan were determined to empower their communities during the difficult period with the Armenian flag. But not just any flag.

Madlin Ohan, Hovig’s grandmother, sewed together a 15 x 24 tricolor flag within two hours, a flag whose size symbolizes the dates of the beginning of the Armenian genocide. Hovig, Ani, Simon and their friends - Vahae and Lusin Ohanian and Zareh and Armen Apkarian - carried the flag with them across California to protests in the cities of San Francisco, Fresno and Los Angeles, and brought white paint along so that their fellow community members could leave a lasting handprint.

We feel grateful that they decided to donate the flag to our Office so that we can find a final home for it in the Homeland, where it belongs.