Community Corner
‘Cycle Against Denial’ Bike Rally in Encino Sunday
The 10-mile ride will focus attention on international genocide, specifically the 1915 Armenian Genocide that the Turkish government has long denied responsibility for allegedly conducting.
Some 150 to 200 people are expected to participate in an annual 10-mile bicycle rally in Encino Sunday, aimed at focusing public attention on genocide around the world, specifically the 1915 Armenian Genocide that is believed to have resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million people.
The April 14 event, known as the 5th Cycle Against Denial rally, revolves around 98 years of denial of the Armenian Genocide by successive governments in Turkey. Armenians have long accused the so-called “Young Turks,” who were in power in Turkey when the nation was part of the Ottoman Empire in 1915, of carrying out the genocide.
The event is organized by the Armenian Youth Federation's San Fernando Valley "Sardarabad" Chapter. About 150 to 200 people turned up for last year's event, according to event organizer Mike Jamgotchian, and about the same number are expected Sunday.
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The Cycle Against Denial rally will begin at 1:30 p.m. from Ferrahian High School, located at 5300 White Oak Ave. in Encino. Participants will ride up to Victory Boulevard, turn a right on Sepulveda and bike to Ventura Boulevard before returning to White Oak Avenue. The entire ride is expected to take about 90 minutes.
Check in is at 11:30 a.m. There will be a $10 registration charge, which includes a rally T-shirt that will have the words “Ride Through The Struggle” printed on the back. Bikes may be rented for $20 each, although participants are encouraged to ride their own bikes if they have them.
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The Encino Neighborhood Council, which made a generous donation to the Cycle Against Denial rally, will have an outreach table at the start of the event on White Oak Avenue.
“People mostly come for the experience of the bike ride, but we don’t want the to lose the focus of what we’re there for,” Jamgotchian said. “What we’re truly there for is to get the message out that there is genocide all over the world, and while we’re addressing all of them, our main focus is the Armenian Genocide of April 24, 1915, which the Turkish government still denies it ever conducted.”
For further details and to register for the event, email cycleagainstdenial@gmail.com or call (818) 370-0793.
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