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PRESS RELEASE
Friday, June 2, 2006
AGBU SYDNEY CHAPTER LAUNCHES BRIDGE OF HARMONY YOUTH PROJECT
The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Sydney Chapter recently
celebrated the launch of its latest publication, Bridge of Harmony,
which is an extensive study on the youth project carried out by the
Chapter in 2005. The report is the latest in a series of publications
aimed at serving the needs of the Australian-Armenian community in the
Sydney area. The book was presented to the public at the AGBU
Alexander Primary School’s Palm Sunday function on April 9, 2006.
The name Bridge of Harmony was chosen to signify the Project’s focus
on both bridging the cultural divide between Australian-Armenians and
wider Australian community, as well as the gap between different
generations of Armenian-Australians. The Project targeted Armenians
aged 16-40 and provided them with a forum to discuss issues of
everyday life for Australian-Armenians through workshops, seminars and
lectures. The central focus of the project was to assess the value of
past youth events and to encourage participation in future events that
appeal to Armenian youth.
The report is the product of twelve months of research and outreach
that included four components: groundwork and consultation, youth
survey, educational activities and evaluation. Young members of the
Australian-Armenian community were surveyed on the kinds of activities
they envision within their community, such as film nights, educational
activities, Genocide and Armenian-cause related activities, language
lessons, social gatherings and outings, sports, cultural activities
and travel to Armenia. “This report is for all Armenian-Australian
community organizations. Our hope is that it will serve as a toolkit
and a discussion starter for those who want to work with the youth,”
Bridge of Harmony Project Coordinator Dr. Armen Gavakian said.
The Bridge of Harmony Youth Project was funded by a generous grant
from the Community Relations Commission (CRC) for a Multicultural New
South Wales (NSW). The AGBU Sydney Chapter dedicated Bridge of Harmony
to all Australian-Armenian youth on the occasion of AGBU’s Centennial.
AGBU Sydney is committed to preserving and promoting the Armenian
identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs. For more information on AGBU Sydney, please visit
To find out more about AGBU events or to view the accompanying photos
online, please visit