In the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Linda Yepoyan
Phone: 610-642-6633
info@birthrightarmenia.org
August 31, 2007

BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA ALUMS NOW IN THE LEAD

Yerevan, Armenia—Driven by their passion, past experience, and a strong belief in the growing youth movement to Armenia, three former volunteers sponsored by Birthright Armenia seized the opportunity to lead by example this summer. Each one was responsible for imparting their knowledge and enthusiasm to a new crop of volunteers, while representing three leading diasporan organizations in Armenia.     

Tamara Shahabian, who interned with the Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) in 2005, returned to the Homeland as the intern coordinator for the newly launched AGBU Yerevan Summer Internship Program.  With sixteen young diasporans in her group, Shahabian relied on her own experience and personal contacts to help pull together a dynamic five-week itinerary of cultural, social and educational activities.   “I was honored to have the opportunity to help lead these interns in their first experience working in Armenia, because I know first hand how inspiring and life-changing intern programs can be.  My goal was that the participants get a fuller picture of Armenia, and gain a desire to contribute to its future,” comments Shahabian. 

Her alumni colleague, Talene Kavazanjian, a native of Toronto, also volunteered with the AVC in 2005. Yerevan was the base for her two-month stint as the Intern Director of the Christian Youth Mission to Armenia (CYMA) program.   Having to lead 17 young interns accepted under the auspices of the Western Diocese, Kavazanjian wore all the necessary hats of supervisor, activities coordinator, mentor, and colleague, to ensure her group was having as great an experience as possible while interning in Armenia.  “Prior to having lived daily life in Armenia, I never understood the distant gap that existed between the Diaspora and Armenia, or the desperate need to bridge the gap by discovering Armenia on your own, and creating a personal connection with the Homeland,” explains Kavazanjian. She adds, “I wanted to work with CYMA, because I knew firsthand, that it is only by working and living in Armenia, that I myself was able to connect to our motherland, emotionally, professionally as well as culturally. My journey to Armenia, provided me the opportunity to grow spiritually, to immerse in our rich cultural life, all while growing in my professional career, and it is for that reason, I wished to work with an internship program that seeks to foster these feelings and changes in other young diasporan Armenians.”

Maral Melkonian, an AVC volunteer in 2006, joined in with her own leadership role as the Director of the AYF Summer Internship Program.   It was Maral who spoke so passionately about her own experience at a community event upon her initial return to the U.S. that moved the AYF internship coordinators to approach her for the directorship.  “I so enjoyed being able to share with my AYF interns the excitement of building their own experience, as they embarked on their own journey to Armenia,” says Melkonian. “The past two months afforded me ample opportunity to work closely with the interns and witness them discover the importance of their presence in Armenia, but mostly the meaning of the present time in Armenia's modern day history.

Birthright Armenia’s philosophy promotes the preparation of volunteers for future leadership roles within their communities, diasporan organizations, and in the development of Armenia.  Kavazanjian clearly understands the ultimate goal, and realizes the personal changes she has undergone in a before and after scenario that she shares.  “Before leaving for my first internship in Armenia in 2005, I was asked in a survey, ‘Do you think it is your generation's turn to contribute to the future development of Armenia’ and I remember thinking to myself, what an odd question? What could I, or other Armenians my age possibly do for Armenia? Three years ago, hardly anyone ever talked about moving to Armenia, or contributing to its future development.  Within those two short months, I realized the importance of my role in the future of Armenia, and  I now feel it is our generation, more than that of my parents or grandparents, that will someday live in Armenia, and partake in the development and strengthening of our newly independent country.

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. To learn more about the organization, or to make an online contribution, please visit www.birthrightarmenia.org. 

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