‘Trees of Hope’ Campaign Prompts Worldwide Effort to Honor the Past

WATERTOWN, MA--In observance of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Armenia Tree Project has set an ambitious goal of planting 90,000 “Trees of Hope” across the Armenian homeland.

Since the launch of the Trees of Hope campaign in April, the concept has inspired Armenians throughout the Diaspora--from places such as Georgia and Arkansas--to locations with a large Armenian presence, including Armenia itself.

An Oklahoma caller married to an Armenian, for example, had never heard of ATP prior to the Trees of Hope outreach campaign and called to learn more. Students from one of the kindergarten classes at the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School in California responded with the idea to use the proceeds of their recycling program to adopt Trees of Hope in Armenia.

“These memorial trees are an inspiring way to honor our loved ones, and a practical way to preserve the precious Armenian homeland,” stated ATP Executive Director Jeff Masarjian. “With a thriving Armenian landscape by 2015, marking the 100th anniversary, it will be evident that the Armenian spirit is alive and well.”

The response to ATP’s biggest campaign to date was the addition of more than 1,100 new donors to the program, which was already more than twice the number of new donors attracted in the previous year.

The Trees of Hope initiative included print advertising, direct mail, satellite television and radio, as well as promotion on Web sites such as Google and ArmeniaDiaspora.com. It also extended to broadcast media in Armenia to raise awareness of ATP and generate enthusiasm among local communities which stand to benefit from the effort both environmentally and economically.

A highlight of the campaign was the 60-second television and radio spot commissioned by ATP and produced in Armenia. The piece was created by world-class animators at Triada Studio and produced by Vem Media Arts, both located in Yerevan. The spots may be viewed on the ATP Web site at www.armeniatree.org/hope.

“By planting these memorial trees in Armenia--and through our other tree-planting initiatives--we hope that our efforts serve as an inspiration for other developing nations or recent survivors of genocide now in the process of healing and rebuilding, ” stated ATP founder Carolyn Mugar.

Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and a longtime supporter of ATP who has participated in memorial tree plantings at the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial, noted that, “With the environmental degradation that severely afflicted most of the former Soviet countries, the Trees of Hope planted this year will not only serve as a strong reminder of the Genocide, but also help produce an environmental renaissance. I commend ATP for the important work it is doing.”

During the peak period of media broadcasts in North America and Armenia, ATP offices in Yerevan and Watertown were flooded with telephone inquiries and donations. In Armenia, people were calling around April 24, asking how they could contribute to the program, with both moral and financial support. Gifts were even sent by the Armenian Studies Program at the Ribet Academy College Preparatory School in California.

Simon Payaslian, Kaloosdian/Mugar Chair of Armenian Genocide Studies and Modern Armenian History at Clark University remarked, “Apart from strengthening the ecological integrity and contributing to the general economic prosperity of Armenia, planting trees across Armenia in memory of the 1.5 million victims of the Genocide bears powerful testimony to the persistence of memory and survival, to the transition from loss to revival.

“Trees of Hope clearly and in concrete terms indicates that the current generation of Armenians cares about the physical and spiritual well-being of the future generations,” added Dr. Payaslian.

In the first month of the direct mail campaign, nearly 12,000 trees were adopted, and responses continue with tree adoptions, many made in the name of loved ones as gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, graduations, and weddings.

It's still not too late to sponsor Trees of Hope. To participate, go to
http://armeniatree.org/donate.htm.

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