Richard Hovanissian opened his Oct. 18 talk at Marquette University Law School by reflecting on this year’s centennial observation of the Armenian Genocide. The UCLA professor emeritus commented on the amount of good press and academic conferences the Armenian cause received in 2015, Pope Francis’ proclamation, and the unity shown by the Armenian community. But the events of a century ago and their ongoing implications, rather than the commemoration, were the primary subject of his talk.

As part of its remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, St. John the Baptist Armenian Church of Milwaukee has invited a prominent local rabbi, Ronald Shapiro, to give a presentation after dinner. Aside from his work at Milwaukee’s Congregation Shalom, Rabbi Shapiro teaches contemporary Jewish studies at Cardinal Stritch University and is active in the city’s interfaith movement.