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BA: Youth to Contribute to Homeland Through Birthright Arm. Forum

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  • BA: Youth to Contribute to Homeland Through Birthright Arm. Forum

    PRESS RELEASE
    BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA
    Contact: Linda Yepoyan
    September 2, 2005
    Phone: 610-642-6633
    [email protected]
    www.birthrightarmenia.org


    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, Armenian Young Lawyers Assoc.
    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 Armenia'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 featured speaker, 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
    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
    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. For those interested in learning more
    about Birthright Armenia, please visit www.birthrightarmenia.org or email
    [email protected].
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