The Rumi Forum presented "Looking Backward, Moving Forward" with Ambassador John Evans, Former Ambassador of the US to Armenia.

On April 2, 2009, the Rumi Forum hosted Ambassador John Evans, the American Ambassador to Armenia, to discuss the events that took place in 1915 between the Turks and Armenians. He also spoke of how the events of 1915 are playing out today, and possible solutions to the tensions created by those events. The Ambassador believes that the recent coming together of the two presidents shows signs of the chance for better relations between the two countries in the future.

Ambassador John Evans served as United States ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. He was confirmed to this position by the U.S. Senate on June 25, 2004. Evans began his service on August 8, 2004, but, as confirmed by President George W. Bush on May 24, 2006, was terminated for undisclosed reasons. Born in Virginia, Evans studied Russian history at Yale University, earning an undergraduate degree. He pursued doctoral studies at Columbia University but does not hold a Ph.D. He served for the US foreign service in various capacities in Iran, Czechoslovakia, the former Soviet Union, and with NATO. He studied languages and became fluent in Russian and several other foreign languages.

Moderator :

Gunay Evinch, President-Elect, ATAA, is Second generation Turkish American, born in Chicago, raised in San Francisco, and living and working in Washington, DC where ATAA is headquartered. ATAA: Capital Region VP (2004-2006); Secretary General (1998-2000); Author, Turkish Times “Sports News” (1993-98). Education: U.S. Fulbright Scholar and Japan Sasakawa Scholar, International Law and the Armenian Case, Ankara University (1991-93); Juris Doctor, Washington & Lee University, VA (1991); Washington & Lee Grant (1989-91); B.A. Development Economics and B.A. Political Science-Public Service, University of California, Davis (1986); UC Regents Outstanding Senior Award (1986); EU Legal Studies, University of Madrid (1989). Profession: Lawyer, Saltzman & Evinch (1993-present)