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PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

High Return on Investment for AGBU’s 2nd Annual Seminar for European
Young Professionals
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Building on the momentum from last year’s inaugural seminar, AGBU, with
the financial support of the European Commission’s Youth Program,
sponsored its 2nd annual Project Exchange and Development Seminar in
Valence, France from May 26 – 29, 2007. Promoting the community-building
initiatives of Armenian young professionals (YP) in Europe, AGBU
welcomed 41 participants from 12 organizations and 15 countries
(Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany,
Italy, Macedonia, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey,
United Kingdom) for a four-day seminar of project development workshops,
training sessions, and networking activities.

Equipping participants with the tools, resources, and contacts to carry
out successful projects, the seminar conducted at the AGBU Valence
Center included presentations on participants’ initiatives; training
focused on leadership and fundraising; as well as the development of new
projects in a multitude of areas, including international exchange,
education, and culture.

"Thank you very much for organizing such an event with quality projects,
brainstorming opportunities, and open-minded people," participant
Aurélie Deyirmendjian from Paris, France expressed to organizers
during the seminar weekend. "We deeply thought about projects for our
local communities, while having fun – a great balance."

In an environment that fostered fellowship, goodwill, and collaboration,
participants quickly came to appreciate their shared experiences, and
the opportunities and challenges that unite them as young Armenians
serving their communities in Europe, while also supporting Armenia and
Karabakh.

"The best investment is in education and professional growth," said
participant and AGBU YP Yerevan representative Nver Sargsyan.
"Connecting young people doubles the results. Thank you for this great
opportunity."

Participants also attended a public conference entitled "Europe, the
Armenian Diaspora, and Armenia," organized and facilitated by Inside
Europe Resource Center Director Nicolas Tavitian, and funded by AGBU and
the European Commission’s Agency for Education and Culture. The
conference, which was an awareness-raising campaign for Armenians on
European Union policies of interest, included notable speakers
Ambassador Eleonora Petrova-Mitevska, Permanent Representative of the
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the Council of Europe;
Ambassador Viguen Tchitetchian, Head of the Mission of the Republic of
Armenia to the European Union; and Ara Toranian, Editor-in-Chief of
French Armenian magazine "Nouvelles d’Arménie."

Soaking in the local culture of Valence, where 10% of the population is
of Armenian descent, the participants also had the unique opportunity to
visit the Armenian Heritage Centre (), the
only one of its kind in Europe, and meet with Mayor of Valence Léna
Balsan, who expressed her appreciation to AGBU for hosting the
pan-European event in Valence.

The organizations represented at the seminar included the Armenian
Culture Association of Barcelona, Spain (); AGBU Paris
Chapter, France (); AGBU YP Geneva, Switzerland
(ypch@manaserian.com); AGBU YP London, UK (yp@agbu.org.uk); AGBU YP
Plovdiv, Bulgaria (yp.plovdiv@abv.bg); AGBU YP Sofia, Bulgaria
(kmarashlyan@telelink.bg); AGBU YP Yerevan, Armenia (ypyerevan@agbu.am);
AGBU YP Zurich, Switzerland (); Akhtamar Online Newsletter,
Italy (); Armenian Academic Society,
Germany; DA-Connexion, France (); Armenian Community
and Church Council of Great Britain – Armenian Heritage and Culture
Committee, UK (); Armenian Musical Art Center, Russia
(arman.gushchyan@amac.am); Birthright Armenia
(); Gladzor Armenian Students Association,
Netherlands (); HAIK Armenian Students Association,
Germany (); Inside Europe, Belgium ();
and Armenian Youth Community of Intellectual Interaction (SIVAM), Russia
().

For more information on the AGBU Project Exchange and Development
Seminar, please visit

Established in 1995, the AGBU Young Professionals (YP) Network of 18 YP
Groups and supporters around the world is committed to preserving and
promoting the Armenian identity and culture through educational,
cultural, and humanitarian programs.

For more information on the AGBU Young Professionals or other worldwide
AGBU programs, please visit the Programs section of , AGBU’s
flagship website, or email ypliaison@agbu.org.