Armenian Assembly of America
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Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: info@aaainc.org
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2004
CONTACT: David Zenian
E-mail: zenian@aaainc.org
ASSEMBLY JOINS U.N. CONFERENCE ON MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly participated in a U.N. conference in
New York last week, co-sponsoring a special workshop that focused on
strategies to empower women from different cultures, including Armenia.
The workshop, within the framework of the 57th Annual U.N. Department of
Public Information and Non-Governmental Organizations (DPI/NGO), was
entitled “Empowering Women Worldwide: Implications for Gender Equity,” and
attended by more than 100 international NGO representatives.
Dr. Nicole Vartanian, one of the four panelists who was sponsored by the
Armenian Assembly, is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Armenia, where she
taught and worked on issues relating to civic education and education
policy. She currently serves as a senior research associate at the U.S.
Department of Education.
Dr. Vartanian opened her presentation with a concise background on Armenia
and spoke about issues involving education trends, gender inequity in
Armenia’s labor force, Armenian NGO action to address some of the existing
difficulties.
She said the Armenian Assembly’s NGO office in Yerevan was closely involved
with a number of locally established NGOs in Armenia in working on gender
issues with the aim of promoting women’s participation in Armenia’s
political process, economic development, conflict resolution as well as
safeguarding women from domestic violence.
“I was very privileged to have this opportunity to bring issues facing women
in Armenia today to this important United Nations conference. The Assembly’s
U.N. and Armenia NGO offices play an important role in this process, and I
am proud to be part of the effort,” Ms. Vartanian said.
The Seminar was the latest in a string of similar U.N. forums on issues like
women in the media, eradication of poverty and women’s role and behavior in
the aftermath of earthquakes in which the Assembly has actively
participated.
“With the Assembly’s active and continued participation in these United
Nations forums, we are promoting Armenia’s priorities. These initiatives are
also of great importance and interest to the Armenian-American community at
large,” Assembly Executive Director Ross Vartian said.
The Assembly recently expanded its representation at the United Nations as a
non-government organization in a Special Consultative Status with the UN’s
Economic and Social Affairs Council (ECOSOC). Zara Ingilizian, Christina
Lehmejian-Karaszewski and Meldia Yesayan have joined Diane Paravazian as
Assembly representatives on a volunteer basis. Research & Information
Associate Emil Sanamyan serves as the Assembly’s primary representative to
the U.N., providing overall program direction.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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