Morgenthau family plants a tree at Hrant Dink Memorial forest
In Armenia, to participate in the Armenian Genocide centennial commemorations, ten members of the extended Morgenthau family, including eight great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren of Ambassador Morgenthau, participated in several events scheduled to honor the memory of U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, where they were hosted by the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) and the Armenia Tree Project (ATP). Headed by two great-grandsons of Ambassador Morgenthau, Henry (Ben) Morgenthau IV, the son of Henry Morgenthau III, and Bob Morgenthau, the son of Robert Morgenthau who was formerly New York City District Attorney for Manhattan, the Morgenthau delegation was extended VIP treatment in Yerevan. This was Dr. Ben Morgenthau's second trip to Armenia, having first visited in 1999 with his father Henry Morgenthau III and his brother Kramer Morgenthau for the dedication of the ambassador's name on the Wall of Honor at the Armenian Genocide Memorial complex, where soil from Ambassador Morgenthau's grave was also placed. A Yerevan city school was renamed for Ambassador Henry Morgenthau on that occasion. Along with his wife BeckiLynn, and son Henry Morgenthau V, Ben Morgenthau IV was joined by Assembly Regional Director Arpi Vartanian and Assembly Board Member Raffi Kassarjian for a visit to the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, where they met with U.S. Ambassador Richard M. Mills, Jr. on Monday, April 27th. Several embassy officers were on hand to greet the Morgenthau delegation to provide an update on program activities and answer questions. Following the Embassy visit, the Morgenthau family and Vartanian visited the Armenia Tree Project, a sister organization of the Assembly. The ATP is a non-profit program based in Watertown, Massachusetts and Yerevan, Armenia, which conducts vitally important environmental projects in Armenia's cities and villages. ATP staff at the Michael and Virginia Ohanian Center for Environmental Studies graciously hosted Vartanian and the Morgenthaus and provided an overview of ATP activities and programs. Following lunch, the Morgenthau family, accompanied by Assembly and ATP staff, visited the Hrant Dink Memorial Forest in Margahovit, Armenia, where they planted a tree in honor of Ambassador Morgenthau. Today, the Hrant Dink Forest has 36,000+1 trees. "On behalf of the Assembly, I would like to thank the Morgenthau family for making this historic trip to Armenia on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, stated Assembly Regional Director Arpi Vartanian. "Every Armenian grows up learning of Ambassador Morgenthau. Their presence was greatly appreciated by all and reconfirmed the very special bond between the Armenian people and the entire Morgenthau family. It was an honor and a privilege to meet and work with his descendants, who today continue the ambassador's work in recognizing the Armenian Genocide, bringing an end to all genocides, and continuing their great-great-grandfather's legacy," Vartanian said.
