In the News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Linda Yepoyan
Phone: 610-642-6633
info@birthrightarmenia.org
December 14, 2004
Birthright Armenia Sponsors String of Opportunity Fairs
Young diasporans interested in learning more about
the wealth of volunteer programs being offered in Armenia, will
want to take advantage of the Opportunity Fairs being sponsored
by Birthright Armenia this coming January. Birthright Armenia
is organizing these unified promotional and recruitment events
for all sponsored organizations that offer youth programs to Armenia,
with the goal of providing young diasporan adults with a one-stop
shop of information pertaining to volunteer and study abroad opportunities
in the Homeland under one roof.
Birthright Armenia will be pilot testing the Opportunity
Fair idea in Montreal and Toronto prior to conducting larger outreach
events in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
The key objectives of the Opportunity Fairs are three-fold: to
promote the idea and importance of volunteerism in Armenia to
large groups of youth; to support the organizations implementing
youth programs in Armenia in getting a jump-start on their recruitment
with captive audiences of youth; and to simplify the research
process of all available volunteer opportunities for the youth
in attendance. Opportunity Fairs of this kind are unprecedented,
so if these six pilot events prove to be successful, Birthright
Armenia vows to move forward with the idea of sponsoring them
annually on a national level.
Attendees of the Opportunity Fairs along the east
coast can expect presentations from more than half a dozen of
the various diasporan organizations implementing volunteer and
internship programs in Armenia. The organizations already scheduled
to present at one or more of the fairs include: ACYOA, Armenian
Assembly of America, ASA-NY, Armenian Tree Project, Armenian Volunteer
Corps, AYF, Fund for Armenian Relief, Habitat for Humanity, and
Land and Culture Organization. It is Birthright Armenia’s
goal to get all of the diasporan organizations to mobilize their
staff, program alumni and volunteers to participate in as many
fairs as possible to speak to interested youth, to share first
hand experiences with fair attendees, and to encourage early submission
of applications. In addition, Birthright Armenia staff will inform
the audience about the availability of newly created local Armenian
NGO internship programs designed specifically for diasporan youth
in the areas of arts, education, environment, health, human rights,
public policy, social welfare, and youth affairs.
The Opportunity Fairs are currently scheduled for
the following days, cities and venues:
January 14: MONTREAL – McGill University
January 15: TORONTO – location to be finalized
January 20: BOSTON – Armenian Library and Museum of America
January 21: NEW YORK – NYU Kimmel Center
January 23: PHILADELPHIA – St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Church
January 24: WASHINGTON, DC – location to be finalized
For those interested in learning more about Birthright Armenia
and the Opportunity Fairs listed above, please visit www.birthrightarmenia.org
for more detailed, up-to-date information on exact venues and
event times as they become available or email: info@birthrightarmenia.org.
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 a renewed sense of
Armenian identity. This is accomplished by supporting and complementing
the initiatives of existing diasporan organizations that offer
youth programs in Armenia, and encouraging them to expand their
offerings in depth and breath. Birthright Armenia assists with
travel fellowships, language instruction, in-country seminars,
orientation and excursions in exchange for community service in
Armenia.
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