As the Republic of Armenia prepares to celebrate 15 years of independence next month, the Assembly today welcomed a decision by California State Senators Charles Poochigian (R-Fresno) and Joseph Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to introduce a resolution in the State Senate designating September 21, 2006 as "Armenian Independence Day." A similar resolution will also be introduced in the State Assembly by Majority Leader Dario Frommer (D-Glendale) and Assembly Member Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton), making California the first state to mark the anniversary of Armenia's independence, reported the Armenian Assembly of America.

Both resolutions recognize September 21, as "A Day of Celebration of the California-Armenia Relationship," and encourage the people of California to recognize the many talents, achievements, and contributions that Californians of Armenian heritage make. The resolutions also note that California is home to the largest population of Armenians in the U.S., and state, "those citizens have enriched California through leadership in the fields of academia, medicine, business, agriculture, government, and the arts, and are proud patriotic practitioners of the American citizenship."