In the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Linda Yepoyan
Phone: 610-408-0988
info@birthrightarmenia.org
April 26, 2004

What Some of Our Future Leaders Have to Say
Insight Survey Results Are In

Berwyn, PA – Over 500 young diasporans participated in the Insight Survey of Birthright Armenia in order to get their thoughts and opinions on being and feeling Armenian heard. To reach as many interested poll takers as possible, Birthright Armenia posted the on-line survey to its Web site and contacted diasporan institutions and student associations across the globe. Although new responses were received daily, the initial cut results of the first 509 takers can be found at www.birthrightarmenia.org in their entirety. Survey participants are encouraged to visit the site to see for themselves how their peers answered the same questions.

The purpose of Birthright Armenia’s Insight Survey is to gauge the attitudes and interests of diasporan young adults in the 18-32 year-old age bracket, to better understand how they relate to their Armenian identity, and to learn about their interests in and connections to the homeland.

Who Took the Survey?
An analysis of the survey’s personal background section shows a nearly perfect split on participants’ gender, with 50.8% of all respondents being male to 49.2% being female. The vast majority of respondents (83%) fell within our beneficiary target group of 18-32 years old, with 92% being single. Almost 50% of respondents were students. The majority of respondents were well-educated, with 36% holding BA/BS degrees and 19% having completed their Master’s. Over 50% of the survey takers currently live in the U.S., with Canadians taking second place (13%) and Europeans coming third (6%). In addition, we are extremely pleased to have reached young diasporan adults living in Sri Lanka, Argentina, Ukraine, Lebanon, Australia, Uruguay, Russia, Morocco, Israel, India, Egypt, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates.

What Did They Say?
Some key results of the survey show a strong connection to the Armenian culture and an interest in preserving the Armenian heritage.
• When asked what “being and feeling Armenian” meant to them, 40% said it includes speaking the Armenian language and 33% said it includes caring about the future of Armenia respectively as their top answers.
• Nearly 21% of the student respondents said it is probable they would apply to study abroad their junior year, and that number nearly triples to a 59% probability when a study abroad option is available in Armenia.
• For 64% of respondents, a key component of the definition of a “good” diasporan today includes someone who has ties to the homeland.
• For those who indicated a low likelihood of travel to the homeland, the top two reasons were lack of money (49%) and time (37%).
• Over a third (35%) of all respondents have never visited Armenia, but 76% indicated that they were likely to visit the homeland within the next two years.
• Over half (55%) of the sample agreed with the statement “I would consider moving to Armenia if I could get a good job”. Of this percentage, there was an exactly equal split between students and non-students.
• About a third (34%) of respondents said that “lack of information on existing opportunities in Armenia” is a problem for them in deciding whether or not to visit Armenia. Regarding such opportunities, 82% say they would benefit from a clearinghouse of information for Armenian diasporan youth.
• The vast majority (88%) of survey takers believe that raising children Armenian is a very important goal in their life. Equally important (88%) is career accomplishment. Following slightly behind (83%) is making a difference in the community.

Birthright Armenia’s mission is to strengthen ties between the homeland and diasporan youth by affording them an opportunity to be a part of Armenia’s daily life and to contribute to Armenia’s development through work, study and volunteer experiences, while developing life-long personal ties and a renewed sense of Armenian identity. We do so by supporting the initiatives of diasporan organizations that offer youth programs in Armenia and focusing on the young Armenian adult participants of these programs, 18-32 years of age, who are interested in extending their stays in the homeland. Birthright Armenia assists with travel fellowships, language instruction, in-country seminars and excursions in exchange for community service in Armenia. For anyone interested in more information about Birthright Armenia, please contact us at info@birthrightarmenia.org or by telephone at 610-408-0988.

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