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Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected] www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE
August 13, 2013
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Tel: 818-500-1918
ANCA-WR Brings Democracy 101 To AYF Camp Big Pines
Wrightwood, CA - Nearly every Armenian American is familiar with the
closing words shared by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863
during his Gettysburg Address, `We here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a
new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." This
summer, hundreds of youth at AYF Camp Big Pines got a fresh dose of
Abraham Lincoln's praise for `government of the people, by the people
and for the people' by taking part in weekly mock congressional
elections organized by the Armenian National Committee of America -
Western Region (ANCA-WR).
The mock congressional elections taught over 500 campers the value of
democratic governance, the hard work it takes to be elected in a
democracy, the value of a free press, and why Armenian Americans need
to be energetically engaged in local, state and federal government and
campaigns.
`Democracy is a contact sport,' explained Elen Asatryan, ANCA-WR
Executive Director. `The elections we held this year at AYF Camp
taught the campers, in a very vivid way, that they need to be on the
field when it comes to advancing the Armenian Cause in the United
States. Happily, the campers grasped the fact that change cannot occur
in politics and more broadly in public policy by standing on the
sidelines,' she added.
During the summer of 2013, AYF Camp Big Pines hosted half a dozen mock
congressional elections. The elections, which were importantly led by
campers, involved each camper getting one ballot and then breaking
into three political parties. The political parties were charged with
selecting a candidate and crafting policies, on issues as diverse as
health care policy, environmental issues, matters related to Tibet and
finally U.S. policy with respect to Armenia and Artsakh. As the
political parties worked on their party platforms, AYF campers serving
as media representatives from CNN, NPR and ABC News, peppered the
party members and their candidates with tough questions. Concurrently,
the elections involved undercover fraud investigators, seeking out
voters who might be willing to violate election laws. At the
conclusion of the elections, each party's candidate stood before all
the campers and delivered a campaign speech, seeking to gain the votes
needed to win the general election. On several occasions, the
elections were decided by only one or two votes, proving to all
campers that in a free and fair election, every vote counts.
For several years AYF Camp Big Pines has partnered with the ANCA-WR to
teach the next generation how America's democratic system of
government works and the value of Armenian Americans being actively
involved in all levels of government. At each of the week-long
sessions this summer, the ANCA-WR provided a speaker to talk about
issues related to the Armenian Cause.
"We were proud to partner with the ANCA-WR again this year as part of
our content-rich educational program for AYF Camp Big Pines campers,'
remarked Anya Agopian, who serves as Management Board Member for AYF
Camp. `Next year we look forward to continuing our positive
partnership with the ANCA-WR,' Agopian added.
Located in the Angeles National Forest near the city of Wrightwood,
AYF Summer Camp is 11.5 acres of beautiful forestland with facilities
to accommodate up to 120 campers each week. The Armenian Youth
Federation Summer Camp was established in 1977 and provides a great
atmosphere for young Armenians between the ages of eight and seventeen
to make new friends, become better acquainted with Armenian history
and culture, and participate in a wide array of athletic activities.
Each year, Armenian youth from all over the United States and Canada
make AYF Summer Camp an integral part of their summer agenda.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected] www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE
August 13, 2013
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Tel: 818-500-1918
ANCA-WR Brings Democracy 101 To AYF Camp Big Pines
Wrightwood, CA - Nearly every Armenian American is familiar with the
closing words shared by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863
during his Gettysburg Address, `We here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a
new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." This
summer, hundreds of youth at AYF Camp Big Pines got a fresh dose of
Abraham Lincoln's praise for `government of the people, by the people
and for the people' by taking part in weekly mock congressional
elections organized by the Armenian National Committee of America -
Western Region (ANCA-WR).
The mock congressional elections taught over 500 campers the value of
democratic governance, the hard work it takes to be elected in a
democracy, the value of a free press, and why Armenian Americans need
to be energetically engaged in local, state and federal government and
campaigns.
`Democracy is a contact sport,' explained Elen Asatryan, ANCA-WR
Executive Director. `The elections we held this year at AYF Camp
taught the campers, in a very vivid way, that they need to be on the
field when it comes to advancing the Armenian Cause in the United
States. Happily, the campers grasped the fact that change cannot occur
in politics and more broadly in public policy by standing on the
sidelines,' she added.
During the summer of 2013, AYF Camp Big Pines hosted half a dozen mock
congressional elections. The elections, which were importantly led by
campers, involved each camper getting one ballot and then breaking
into three political parties. The political parties were charged with
selecting a candidate and crafting policies, on issues as diverse as
health care policy, environmental issues, matters related to Tibet and
finally U.S. policy with respect to Armenia and Artsakh. As the
political parties worked on their party platforms, AYF campers serving
as media representatives from CNN, NPR and ABC News, peppered the
party members and their candidates with tough questions. Concurrently,
the elections involved undercover fraud investigators, seeking out
voters who might be willing to violate election laws. At the
conclusion of the elections, each party's candidate stood before all
the campers and delivered a campaign speech, seeking to gain the votes
needed to win the general election. On several occasions, the
elections were decided by only one or two votes, proving to all
campers that in a free and fair election, every vote counts.
For several years AYF Camp Big Pines has partnered with the ANCA-WR to
teach the next generation how America's democratic system of
government works and the value of Armenian Americans being actively
involved in all levels of government. At each of the week-long
sessions this summer, the ANCA-WR provided a speaker to talk about
issues related to the Armenian Cause.
"We were proud to partner with the ANCA-WR again this year as part of
our content-rich educational program for AYF Camp Big Pines campers,'
remarked Anya Agopian, who serves as Management Board Member for AYF
Camp. `Next year we look forward to continuing our positive
partnership with the ANCA-WR,' Agopian added.
Located in the Angeles National Forest near the city of Wrightwood,
AYF Summer Camp is 11.5 acres of beautiful forestland with facilities
to accommodate up to 120 campers each week. The Armenian Youth
Federation Summer Camp was established in 1977 and provides a great
atmosphere for young Armenians between the ages of eight and seventeen
to make new friends, become better acquainted with Armenian history
and culture, and participate in a wide array of athletic activities.
Each year, Armenian youth from all over the United States and Canada
make AYF Summer Camp an integral part of their summer agenda.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###