[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1899-E1900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING RITA BALIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2005

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
exceptional contributions of Rita Balian, a humanitarian activist and 
community leader who has worked tirelessly on behalf of women and 
children in the United States and Armenia.
  Ever since the earthquake in Armenia in 1988, Ms. Balian has 
dedicated her time, talent and expertise to help the people of Armenia. 
She has realized many projects in support of women, schools, and 
universities. Since 1996, she has concentrated her efforts on women's 
health, taking American technology, management skills and medical 
expertise to Armenia.
  She is the founder, president and chief executive officer of the 
Armenian American Cultural Association (AACA), a non-profit charitable 
organization incorporated in 1995 in Arlington, Virginia. Through AACA, 
Ms. Balian established the Armenian American Wellness Center in 
Yerevan, a humanitarian project dedicated to saving, prolonging, and 
improving the lives of women through the early and accurate detection 
of breast and cervical cancer and to providing primary health care 
services to ensure the good health and well-being of families in 
Armenia. To facilitate the Wellness Center's work, Ms. Balian partnered 
the Center with seven major U.S. medical institutions. Since the 
Wellness Center's establishment in 1997, it has screened over 60,000 
women and saved the lives of over 1,500 through the early detection of 
life-threatening illnesses.
  Ms. Balian has dedicated herself to expanding the services offered at 
the Wellness Center and providing increased access to those services. 
The Center has added protocols in gynecology, family medicine, and 
pathology and reaches out to Armenians living in rural areas through 
monthly outreach missions and the establishment of two satellite 
clinics.
  Along with her work on behalf of the Wellness Center, Ms. Balian's 
accomplishments also include the establishment of a sister-city program 
between the cities of Gyumri, Armenia and Alexandria, Virginia. She co-
chaired the Alexandria/Gyumri Sister City Committee for six years, 
organized several municipal, cultural and educational exchanges and 
established the Alexandria Armenian Day Festival, which is now an 
annual celebration.
  Through her work with the Armenian General Benevolence Union (AGBU), 
the largest and oldest Armenian philanthropic organization in the 
world, Mrs. Balian and her husband cofounded the AGBU New York Summer 
Intern Program for Armenian college students from around the world. She 
continues to manage the intern program, which is now in its nineteenth 
year.
  She has received many awards in recognition of her work with the 
Wellness Center; most notably the ``Spirit of Life Cancer Advocacy 
Award'' in September 2003 from the International Spirit of Life 
Foundation and the Washington Cancer Institute, the ``Outstanding 
Citizen Achievement A ward'' from the United States Agency for 
International Development in January 2003, and the Armenian Church's 
highest medal of honor, the St. Nersess Shnorhali Medal, bestowed upon 
her through a Pontifical Encyclical by His Holiness, the Catholicos 
Karekin II, in October 2001.
  The Armenian people have acknowledged Ms. Balian's humanitarian work 
as well. She has received honorary doctoral degrees from three 
different universities in Armenia, and in April 1996, Rita and her 
husband, Vartkess Balian, became honorary citizens of the Republic of 
Armenia through a special presidential decree presented to them at the 
Armenian Embassy in Washington, DC.
  She has also been honored by the United Nations for her advocacy on 
behalf of women's and children's rights and by the American Red Cross 
for her leadership in obtaining humanitarian assistance for the victims 
of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia.
  Since March of 2004, Ms. Balian has served as a member of Governor 
Warner's Virginia/Armenia Advisory Commission.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the numerous accomplishments of 
Rita Balian. Her dedication to the people of Armenia and her efforts to 
increase international understanding reflect a deep sense of purpose 
and

[[Page E1900]]

remarkable ability to achieve difficult and worthy goals. Her work 
serves as an inspiration to us all.

                          ____________________