In the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Linda Yepoyan
Phone: 610-291-2165
info@birthrightarmenia.org
August 26, 2005

ARMENIAN LEADERS EMPOWER YOUTH TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HOMELAND THROUGH BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA FORUM SERIES

Yerevan, Armenia – In an intensive 12-week Forum Series, Birthright Armenia has brought together well-known Armenian leaders with young volunteers from across the Diaspora. A diverse group of speakers including President Kocharian’s advisor on corruption, Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a national expert on Nagorno-Karabagh, has inspired diasporan youth, as future leaders, to participate in Armenia’s development by providing unique insight into Armenia’s social, cultural, economic, and political issues and needs.

In order to provide the broadest picture possible, Birthright’s Forum Series is offered via a two-track system: a hard-track centered around policy, economics, government, and business, and a soft-track concentrated on culture, arts, poverty reduction, entertainment, and ecology. The forums go beyond presenting facts and figures to providing concrete tools that empower youth to participate in the building of a nation.

The overall response from Birthright Armenia’s participants has been positive. Lalai Manjikian, an Armenia Volunteer Corps volunteer and Birthright Armenia participant from Canada, says that the Forums have changed her experience in Armenia because they have enabled her to see beyond the typical diasporan point-of-view. “They allow us to have a real grasp of the social, economic, and environmental problems and issues Armenia faces so we have an idea of where we can contribute.”

The impressive list of Birthright Armenia’s invited experts includes:

Vardan Oskanyan
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Gegham Gharibjanyan
Deputy Foreign Minister and Former Ambassador to Iran
Garegin Chookaszian
Executive Director of Information Technologies Foundation (ITF)
Manuk Hergnyan
Executive Director of Vem Radio
Bagrat Yesayan
Anti-corruption Advisor to the President of the Republic of Armenia
Alexander Manasian
Ph.D Philosophic Sciences and Expert on the Nagorno-Karabagh Conflict
Arsen Kharatian
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) Open Forum
Edith Khachatourian
Founder of International Legal Consulting
Shake Karapetyan
Owner, Art Bridge Bookstore and Café
Vardan Hovhannisyan
President/Founder of Bars Media
Dikran Xzmalian
Independent Filmmaker
Avetik Ishkhanian
Head of Helsinki Committee of Armenia
Isabella Sargsyan
Member of Helsinki Citizens Assembly, youth program coordinator
Mikael Danielian
Executive Director of Helsinki Foundation
Levon Abrahamyan
Ethnographer
Ms. Gayane Shagoyan
Head of Hazarashen NGO
Father Dajad Davidian
Pastor of the Armenian Church Youth Movement, Diocese of Ararat
Dr. Tom Samuelian
Founder of Arlex International Ltd
Alexander Iskandarian
Head of the Caucasus Media Institute
Tevan Poghosyan
Executive Director of International Center for Human Development
Pavel Gharakeshishian
President of Makur Yerevan
Mary Eganian
Representative of Armenian Young Lawyers Association
Lara Aharonian
Director, Kanayq Hayots Women's Resource Center
Edward Balassanian
Executive Director, Cafesjian Museum Foundation
Raffi Niziblian
Viva Cell Marketing Manager
Alex Sardar
Chief of Party for Counterpart International
Jeffrey Tufenkian
President of Armenian Forests NGO
Susan Klein
Executive Country Director of the Armenia Tree Project in Yerevan
Jeff Masarjian
Executive Director, Armenia Tree Project
Karine Danielian
President of the Association of Sustainable Human Development NGO

The speakers have also responded positively to Birthright’s Forum Series, as they are excited to share their knowledge with young diasporans, who may one day return to Armenia and contribute further to its development. One of Birthright Armenia’s featured speakers, Garegin Chookaszian, Executive Director of Information Technologies Foundation (ITF), states “I am sure that this kind of meeting, with experts from different fields, represents one of the fastest and most interactive ways of getting information about what is going on in Armenia.”

Susan Klein, Executive Country Director of the Armenia Tree Project, an environmental NGO, further points out that the Forums provide an excellent mechanism for public awareness, as volunteers speak about what they have learned to other volunteers and ex-patriates, as well as Armenians in the Diaspora. She also points out that not only are the Forums critical to “understanding what is really happening in this country and the kinds of people that are working here,” but also that through the expansive scope of the topics, the volunteers are exposed to ideas and projects that could potentially “shape what they are doing here.”

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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