In the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Linda Yepoyan
Phone: 610-291-2165
info@birthrightarmenia.org
July 22, 2005

Birthright Armenia Volunteers Discover Karabagh

Yerevan, Armenia – As part of the “journey of self discovery,” Birthright Armenia/Depi Hayk sponsored a large group tour to Zangezour and Karabagh that included a majority of this year's 100+ volunteers, representing nine organizations and seven countries. For the July 8 – 10 trip, volunteers lived in the homes of numerous host families in Shushi , which gave them an opportunity to experience everyday life out of the capital city of Yerevan where all of them have been working for over a month or two. In addition, they gain a respect for the Nagorno Karabagh resident, who paid a huge price for a war that many of the diasporan volunteers were too young to remember.

The trip began with a tour through the mountains of several regions of Armenia , including Tatev monastery and the gates of Zangezour, and continued through the Lachin corridor – the symbolic lifeline connecting Armenia with Karabagh. Guided tours of Tatev and Gandzasar, two medieval Christian educational centers, allowed the Birthright Armenia participants to travel through time, imbibe the spirit of knowledge, and gain further insight into our rich Armenian past. For most of the trip, guides spoke not only in English but also in French, to respect the regional diversity of the 2005 volunteer group.

The trip culminated with a private meeting with the President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic . In the same room where Nagorno Karabagh Republic 's independence was declared, President Arkadi Ghoukasian engaged the Birthright Armenia participants in a discussion about the future of the Republic. The President emphasized that Karabagh needs the involvement and participation of diasporan youth, and spoke of the Karabagh “illness.” He said, “When you visit Karabagh, you catch a virus that no doctor or remedy can cure. The only treatment for this virus is a return.”

Despite the memories of a troubled past, the spirit of the people of Shushi was hopeful. Gary Khatcherian, Land and Culture Organization volunteer and Birthright Armenia participant, indicated that one of the most memorable moments was interacting with the children. “Their faces just glow when you come off the bus for the first time. You just want to do whatever you can to put smiles on their faces and make them happy.”

As far as the homestay experience, Shoghig Mikaelian, an Armenian Volunteer Corp (AVC) volunteer and Birthright Armenia participant, said that: “At first it was very depressing when I saw Shushi. It seemed like a ghost town and it reminded me of the civil war in Lebanon ; but then, when I saw the people and the children and I became involved with my host family, it totally changed my perspective. There was a real human element aside from the destruction.”

The last day in Shushi included a large, group celebration involving residents, Birthright Armenia participants, and volunteers of the Land and Culture Organization, who work on a school renovation project there. After Father Koriun blessed the table, 75 young Armenians, feeling right at home in the backyard of the gracious Sarian host family, lost no time in experiencing the homemade khorovadz and hospitality. Dancing to live music continued until the wee hours of the night. Upon leaving the city the next day, the Birthright group attended the morning badarak at the Ghazanchetsots Church , where the children of Karabagh sang sharakans – a perfect ending to this meaningful and memorable journey through Shushi.

 

As a last goodbye to Karabagh, the group visited downtown Stepanakert, a bustling city that has experienced significant rebuilding after the war. The volunteers agreed that seeing Stepanakert filled them with hope that one day Shushi would experience the same revival. When asked if the Karabagh trip was a valuable experience, Chant Der Atamian, a Montreal-based AVC volunteer, said that “Karabagh itself is filled with so much beauty and so much of the Armenian spirit that I cannot imagine any other way to actually feel, breathe and experience the ‘Armenian-ness' that we have inside.”

Birthright Armenia 's mission is to strengthen ties between the Homeland and Diaspora 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. Birthright Armenia offers travel stipends and many other free services to diasporans 18-32 years of age who enroll in one of the 24 youth-oriented programs sponsored by Birthright. For those interested in learning more about Birthright Armenia , please visit www.birthrightarmenia.org or email info@birthrightarmenia.org .

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