Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska - 09/16/2006

Six Armenian Students Walking to Raise Awareness of Genocide
by Kristin Zagurski, Omaha World-Herald, Neb.

Six Armenian college students passed through Omaha Friday on their walk across America to raise awareness of genocide.

The students -- Ed S. Majian, 22; Albrik Zohrabyan, 23; Hasmig Tatiossian, 23; Vahe Abovian, 30; Sarkis Nazaryan, 28; and Levon Sayadyan, 24 -- began their walk June 27 in Los Angeles.

They walk 30 miles a day, followed by a recreational vehicle in which they sleep. They plan to end their journey Oct. 30 in Washington, D.C., where a rally will be held.

The group -- walking under the name Journey for Humanity -- is holding rallies in other major cities along its way, including one at 4 p.m. Sunday in Des Moines at the Iowa State Capitol. That rally is being held in conjunction with the local chapter of Save Darfur.

In the Omaha area, the students met with staff members of U.S. Reps.

Jeff Fortenberry and Tom Osborne and Sen. Chuck Hagel. They also talk to citizens along their way, telling them about the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.

The group's main goals are bringing change to help Darfur and encouraging people to recognize past genocide -- specifically the Armenian genocide of 1915, Majian said. Amid the chaos of World War I, Turkey killed an estimated 1.4 million Armenians.