PRESS RELEASE
Advocates for Armenia
CONTACT: Tamar Hayrikyan, Officer
P.O.Box 250771
New York, NY 10025
Email: tamar@advocatesforarmenia.org
http://www.advocates forarmenia.org/
Tel: 781.913.7617

*College Students Work Towards Greater Role for the Diaspora in **Armenia**’s
Development*

New York, N.Y. –

On February 3rd and 4th, 2007 Armenian students from all over the United
States and Canada will gather at Columbia University in New York City to
discuss the challenges and opportunities for development in Armenia. Organized
by the Columbia University Armenian Club and Advocates for Armenia , the
summit is being sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU)
and the Armenian Center at Columbia University.

The purpose of the summit, titled "Armenia’s Development: The Students’
Role", is to empower young Armenians to effect positive change in Armenia
today. The two-day meeting will feature presentations by prominent figures
in the developing fields of business, information technology, health, law,
and education, as well as addresses by high-ranking Armenian diplomats.
These presentations will set the stage for the core of the summit: Intensive
working sessions that will facilitate student action. During these sessions,
student participants will work with experts to formulate innovative ideas
for specific, small-scale projects to be implemented in Armenia within the
next two years.

Founder and Coordinator of Advocates for Armenia, Levon Bagramian, believes
that activities such as this summit should become frequent in the Armenian
communities of the United States. "We are trying to get people to shift
their attention to things that matter, things that will outlive us," says
Bagramian. "We believe that Armenians of our generation have a lot at stake
in the future of Armenia, a country that has been growing and changing at a
pace unprecedented in its recent history. At the end of this road, we
envision an Armenia that is independent, peaceful, prosperous and
democratic. Until then, we will not be satisfied with sitting back and
watching it happen on its own. We have made the decision to be a part of the
action, and we encourage our colleagues from the Diaspora to do the same."

Registration is open to everyone on a first-come first-serve basis. More
information and access to the registration page are available at