PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Dr. Ani Kalayjian
DATE:  16 March, 2011
TEL:  (201) 941-2266
www.meaningfulworld.com

New York, NY  – On Thursday, 7 April 2011, the Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress and Genocide (AASSSG) partnering with like-minded organization, will hold its annual symposium on Preventing Genocide at the United Nations from 3-6 P.M.  This year our symposium is titled, “Embracing Our Ancestral DNA:  Transforming Generationally Transmitted Restrictions of Ethnicity, Nationality and Belief Systems to Positive Lessons and Wisdom.”

Donald Wilson Bush?, President of the Woodrow Wilson Legacy Foundation will receive the 2011 AASSSG Outstanding Achievement Award. Donald Wilson Bush is an eighth generation Woodrow Wilson family? descendant, directly descended from Woodrow Wilson’s ?great-grandfather.? As a pragmatic conservative writer, a public?speaker, and a global advocate for democratic causes,?Mr. Bush has given presentations in both national and international forums championing civility and peace in?the Western Civic Tradition. He has been a friend of the? Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Birthplace ?for 28 years, and his media interviews and lectures have been broadcast to more than 3.5 million people ?worldwide.? A pioneer in distance learning, Donald Wilson Bush has broad?experience consulting in education, politics, interfaith ministry, and? entertainment.? Prior to his involvement as a global advocate for democratic causes, Mr.?Bush worked as a special assistant to Dr. Billy Graham; a director of?curriculum development in distance education at Reformed Theological? Seminary; a community resource consultant in the City of Alexandria,? Virginia; a legislative clerk for VA State Senator Patsy S. Ticer; and a U.S.?Congressional campaign manager in Virginia’s 5th District.?Mr. Bush is also a lifelong Scots Presbyterian and holds degrees from? Montreat College, King College and Reformed Theological Seminary.

In his presentation, “ From School Yards to Diplomatic Missions:  Taking Leadership to Stop Bullying,” Mr. Bush will focus on how initiatives aimed at sustainable peace and productivity must begin with establishing civility in public discourse and must help to enable both children and adults to take a stand against bullying in the process. Bush examines how the First Amendment is a gift that must be respected and cherished. He traces how bullying begins with the human motivation to dominate and addresses the fundamental and common obstacles bullying presents in solving problems. In addition, he talks about a new vision of “productive conflict” and help interested citizens  to achieve not only prevent genocide but to create “Peace through Leadership.”

Our next speaker, Aurel N. Mocanu, will share his expertise with his presentation on, “Healing through Family Constellations.”   Aurel N. Mocanu is a psychologist who received his degree in Psychology in 2008 from the Spiru Haret University in Romania.   He also has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Gh. Asaki Politechnical University in Romania.  “My lifetime journey has been rich in traveling and experiencing different types of healing energy work… and in the past years I have been coming to what feels like my calling in shamanic healing and family constellations work,” states Mr. Mocanu.  He has organized many workshops and trainings in shamanic healing and family constellations.  Through his work, Mr. Mocanu has come to the understanding that much of our suffering and difficulties that we’re struggling with in life have a lot to do with the individual and collective traumas that our ancestors endured.   He is currently researching methods for healing these deep places in our being and in our history, so that we can create healthier and more balanced and joyful ways of being in the world.

Our last esteemed speaker, Sally Kader, is the Chair of U.S. Middle East for Peace at the UN Church Center.   Mrs. Kader will address, “The Role of Women in Healing Generational Wounds.” Mrs. Sally (Salwa) Kader is President and the Founder of the United States Federation for Middle East Peace (USFMEP), a non-profit organization promoting the United Nations’ Principle and commitment to Human Rights and to international peace and justice. Mrs. Kader is well known and respected as public speaker in interfaith Dialogue; she has spoken at the UN headquarters and across the continental US, in Europe and throughout the Middle East to a wide variety of audiences.

She has received numerous international awards for her peace initiatives and activities towards reconciliation in the Middle East and for her efforts in Empowerment of Women from many governments and organizations worldwide including the United States Senate awards, latest were the United Nations MDG awards recognition in 2010. She traveled internationally to lead Peace conferences and Forum focusing on mutual respect and better understanding the religious philosophies, cultures, history and affairs of the Middle East and the West. Due to the efforts of Mrs. Kader, the USFMEP has established chapters across the world.  The USFMEP has hosted conferences, seminars, workshops, roundtables and public forums.

For well over 20 years, AASSSG has been faithfully dedicated to recognizing, resolving and healing the traumas resulting from genocide by organizing educational conferences at Fordham University, John Jay College and now proudly for the first time at the United Nations.  Our mission is to inform and empower grass roots’ support for discovering new avenues in the quest for finding solutions to the engrained historical and psychological issues associated with Genocide.

AASSSG also sponsors the annual Krieger Essay Contest open to High School and College students, writing about what Genocide means to them.  A highlight of the symposium is having the students read excerpts from their award-winning essays.

Cosponsors are: The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations, Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP), Meaningfulworld.com, The Armenian Constitutional Rights Protective Centre of Armenia, and Health, Transformation & Spirituality, a Working Group of CONGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns – NY (CSVGC) at UN.

Organizing Committee Members are: Dr. Kalayjian, Dr. Gergerian, Dr. Shahinian, Mr. Milian, and Ms. Markarian.
Kindly contact Katherine by April 1st to receive a UN ID: kkazemeaningfulworld@gmail.com.