LOS ANGELES, CA - Kim Kardashian is rallying support for the ANCA Telethon as part of her ongoing commitment to secure international recognition of the Armenian Genocide as an important step toward ending the cycle of genocide overall, reported the ANCA Endowment Fund. In a public service announcement set to officially debut this Sunday during the ANCA Telethon, Kardashian explains "As we witness injustice in today's world and we all strive to eradicate violence and mass killings everywhere, I've been doing what's right and doing my share in bringing recognition to the Armenian Genocide. Mankind must recognize genocides of the past for what they are so that we can stop them from reoccurring in the future; that's why I'm supporting the ANCA Telethon and contributing to it." Kardashian goes on to ask viewers and supporters to "join your voice and your effort to mine and do share and donate generously to this telethon." Her video appeal is posted at http://www.ancatelethon.org/kim The ANCA Telethon will be broadcast live on Sunday May 20, 2012 from 2:00pm PDT to 8:00pm PDT (5:00pm EDT to 11:00pm EDT) in major U.S. markets which cater to the over 1.5 million Armenian Americans across the U.S., including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, New York and Washington, DC . The program will be streamed live online on http://www.ancatelethon.org/live "We applaud Kim Kardashian for her ongoing commitment to international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and are so very proud of her principled support, as an Armenian, for ending forever the cycle of genocide against all peoples," said ANCA Endowment President Ken Hachikian. "With Kim's support, and the backing of Armenian Americans from coast to coast, we look forward to a successful Telethon and to taking our work for truth and justice to a new level." Kardashian has been outspoken in her calls for officials U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, posting blog notes and tweeting to her fans annually on April 24th, the worldwide commemoration of this crime. In an April 24, 2011, tweet, Kardashian was clear and concise: "It's time to recognize the Armenian Genocide http://bit.ly/dV7c7b" In 2010, Kardashian called on Speaker Pelosi to schedule a vote on H.Res 252, the Armenian Genocide resolution. In that message, she said "It's time for America to speak openly and honestly about this horrible crime against humanity, and the only way this will happen is if WE speak up first." The ANCA Endowment Fund supports a broad range of educational, youth, and civic programs that give voice to the views and values of the Armenian American community, strengthening our presence in the American civic arena, and empowering pro-Armenian stakeholders with the information and resources they need to take on the powerful forces aligned against the Armenian nation. The first two ANCA Endowment Fund telethons, held in 2006 and 2009, raised over $4.5 million for Armenian American educational, youth, and civic programs. Both programs touched a common emotional chord, speaking directly to the devotion to the Armenian Cause that rests in the hearts of Armenians from across the U.S., regardless of organizational or political affiliations. Countless organizations, volunteers, churches, community leaders, local ANCAs, performing artists, Members of Congress, and state legislators from across the nation participated in the telethons, contributing to their enormous success. Both telethons featured several documentaries that highlighted various ANCA programs and numerous results the ANCA Endowment has achieved over the years, largely through its volunteer and grassroots network.

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