LOS ANGELES, October 14, 2026 — The Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR) held its 2026 Annual Gala on Sunday, October 11, at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, bringing together Armenian-American community leaders, elected officials, educators and advocates for an evening recognizing service to the Armenian Cause and reaffirming the community’s commitment to justice for Artsakh and the Armenian people.
The annual gathering highlighted the importance of sustained political advocacy, grassroots activism, education and cultural preservation, honoring individuals whose contributions have advanced Armenian national interests in public life and beyond.
His Eminence Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, offered the opening invocation and prayer, bestowing his blessings upon the gathering. The Prelate also delivered remarks recognizing the ANCA Western Region and its longstanding service to the Armenian Cause, acknowledging the importance of its advocacy and dedication to advancing Armenian national interests.
Among this year’s principal honorees were California Assemblymember John Harabedian, filmmaker Jivan Avetisyan and community activist Shevan Basmadjian. The evening also featured a special recognition of Armenian school principals, emphasizing the essential role of Armenian education in preserving national identity across generations.
Assemblymember John Harabedian, representing California’s 41st Assembly District, was recognized as ANCA-WR’s 2026 Legislator of the Year. His selection acknowledged his advocacy for Armenian-American concerns, including the rights of displaced Artsakh Armenians and Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, as well as his work strengthening relations between California and Armenia. Harabedian chairs the California State Assembly’s Select Committee on California and Armenia Mutual Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange.
Jivan Avetisyan, the internationally recognized filmmaker raised in Artsakh, received the Advocacy in Cinema Award. Through films including Tevanik, The Last Inhabitant and Gate to Heaven, Avetisyan has brought the experiences of the people of Artsakh to international audiences. His recognition underscored the importance of cinema and cultural expression in preserving the historical record of Artsakh and resisting efforts to erase its Armenian identity.
Shevan Basmadjian, an Armenian-American activist based in Dallas, Texas, was honored with the Steve Artinian Visionary Activist Award. Established in memory of longtime community activist and former ANCA-WR Board member Steve Artinian, the award recognizes exceptional grassroots leadership. Basmadjian’s work has helped advance Armenian Genocide education, public awareness and civic participation throughout Texas.
A particularly meaningful part of the evening was the establishment of the Gabriel Injejikian Academic Excellence Award, honoring the legacy of the late educator and founding principal of the first Armenian daily high school in the United States. Eleven principals representing Armenian elementary and high schools in California were recognized for their leadership and dedication to Armenian education.
Members of the late Gabriel Injejikian’s family were also invited on stage and honored with a commemorative memento marking the establishment of the award in his name. The tribute celebrated Injejikian’s lasting contributions to Armenian-American education and the generations of students and educators influenced by his work.
The recognition underscored the vital role Armenian schools play not only in academic achievement, but also in preserving the Armenian language, history, culture and national identity for future generations.
The program included remarks by ANCA-WR Chairman Oshin Harootoonian and ANCA-WR Board member Dr. Kevork Hagopjian, alongside an address by Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian, highlighting the importance of organized Armenian-American political participation.
ARF Western United States Central Committee Representative Levon Baronian also addressed the gathering, emphasizing Los Angeles’s growing importance as a center of Armenian Diasporan life and the responsibility of its institutions to advance Armenian national interests. Baronian also announced the upcoming United for Artsakh rally and march, scheduled for November 8 in Glendale, calling for renewed attention to Artsakh, the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku, and the right of Artsakh’s displaced Armenian population to return to their homeland.
The continuing struggle for Artsakh remained a central concern. More than three years after Azerbaijan’s forced displacement of Artsakh’s Armenian population in 2023, the demands for the release of Armenian prisoners, the protection of the displaced population’s rights and the right of return remain pressing priorities for Armenian advocacy organizations.
The ANCA Western Region’s annual gala serves as both a celebration of individual achievement and a reminder of the importance of coordinated civic engagement. Through its network of chapters, advocates and supporters across the Western United States, the organization continues its work advancing Armenian-American priorities at the local, state and federal levels.
This year’s recognition of legislators, cultural figures, grassroots organizers and educators reflected the many dimensions of that effort, from the halls of government and classrooms of Armenian schools to the broader struggle for justice, national rights and the preservation of Armenian identity.
