On April 22, the Homenetmen Glendale Ararat chapter was once again home to the Justice Tournament.
Started in 2015 to commemorate the centennial of the Armenian genocide, the Justice Tournament seeks to bring together kids of various backgrounds and ages to raise awareness of the genocide.
The 2017 edition of the tournament was a 3 on 3 competition and players of all ages were invited, “from 8 to 88” as the flyer indicated. From 9AM to 5PM, over 450 players and family members played basketball and mingled on the blue and green courts. In between games, they were treated to Armenian music, donuts, pizza and refreshments in the foyer which had been turned into an exhibition hall for the occasion. Various photo exhibits and display boards documented the events of 1915, and provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the genocide for the younger generation.
Glendale mayor Paula Devine, Glendale city council member Vartan Gharpetian and Armine Gharpetian, President of the GUSD Board of Education graced us with their presence but it was the dozens of children playing and forging friendships who made the day a great success.
The adults got into the mix in the afternoon and showed that age is but a number.
The event also served as a fundraiser as all the proceeds will help furnish the Gharachinar school of Karvajar in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
We would like to acknowledge the Glendale Fire Department, the Glendale Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department for their support on this project.
The positive feedback and reaction of the attendees made one thing clear: everybody is looking forward to the 2018 edition of the event!
