GLENDALE, CA —The Armenian National Committee – Western Region (ANC-WR) has announced that Antranig Kasbarian and Elizabeth S. Chouldjian will join Robert Avetisyan, the Permanent Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, as panelists in “Homeland and the Diaspora: From Challenges to Solutions,” which will cover the self-determination movements in Karabakh, and the civil and human rights movement in Javakhk, as well as how the Armenian Diaspora can continue to play a significant role in the democratization of Armenia and the region. The presentation is part of the ANC Grassroots weekend that will take place from Friday, November 25 to Sunday, November 27, 2011, at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.

Antranig Kasbarian has been active in Armenian affairs for most of his life. Over the past 20 years, he has been a lecturer, activist and community leader in the Eastern US; he has also worked regularly as a journalist, activist and researcher in Nagorno-Karabakh. He is a former editor of The Armenian Weekly, and has held various positions within the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. He holds a PhD in Geography from Rutgers University, where he currently teaches a course on Nagorno-Karabakh. His doctoral dissertation dealt with the geography of nationalism during the 1988-1994 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, based largely on his own experiences on the ground. He has published widely on Nagorno-Karabakh in both academic journals and the press. He joined the Tufenkian Foundation in 2003, launching its program in Nagorno-Karabakh focusing on economic recovery and refugee resettlement, and now serves as Executive Director.

Elizabeth Chouldjian has been the communications director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) based in Washington, D.C. for more than 15 years, and had previously worked in the Bay Area ANC offices. She recently represented the ANCA in Javakhk where she and ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian met with Georgian and U.S. government officials, civil society organizations, and NGOs in order to address political, cultural, educational and other rights of the Armenian community in Georgia.

Kasbarian and Chouldjian will join Robert Avetisyan, who will discuss the history of the Karabakh conflict, legal and humanitarian aspects of the creation of the Nargorno-Karabakh Republic, the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, the negotiation process, as well as the current situation in Karabakh and in the region in general. Since his appointment, Avetisyan has continuously affirmed Karabakh’s commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict with Azerbaijan, and has maintained that the recognition of Karabakh’s independence neither violates the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, nor threatens its existence.

The three-day ANC Grassroots program is a groundbreaking weekend of workshops and panel presentations that will educate the community about civic leadership arising from grassroots efforts. ANC Grassroots will bookend the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) Annual Banquet, which will take place on Saturday, November 26 at 7 p.m.

The conference and Annual Banquet are open to interested individuals throughout the entire United States, and participants are encouraged to register early.

Due to a generous contribution by an anonymous donor the ANC has announced a significant reduction in ticket prices.

Tickets for ANC Grassroots, which includes the Friday night cocktail in the Starview Room; as well as conference sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which include breakfast, post-banquet dance, and the keynote luncheon on Sunday, are $49. Students with valid ID can purchase discounted tickets for $39.

Tickets for the Annual Banquet are $200. Students with valid ID can purchase discounted tickets for $150.

For more information, to register and purchase tickets, please visit www.anca.org/ancgrassroots.

The Armenian National Committee-Western Region is the largest Armenian American grassroots community organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR works to promote understanding regarding issues of concern to the Armenian American community.