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PRESS RELEASE
Monday, March 3, 2008
Duzian Tours North America to Promote AGBU’s Youthful Summer in Armenia
During the month of January, AGBU’s Armenia Youth Programs Coordinator,
Hermine Duzian, traveled across North America to inform potential
participants and their parents about the dynamic menu of AGBU programs
in Armenia this and every summer. From Yerevan-based internships for
college-aged students to a summer trip to Armenia and Karabakh, there is
something for every young Armenian.
This year, Duzian could include one more program, the AGBU Scout Camp in
Dilijan-Vanadzor, in the full roster of programs AGBU offers. "We are so
happy to add this wonderful program to our Armenia programs and everyone
was impressed with the size and beauty of the campsite. We are already
booked for this summer with hundreds of campers but people are already
planning and preparing for next year," Duzian said.
For its first year, the AGBU Armenia Scout Camp will be welcoming scouts
>From Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and neighboring countries while, next
year, the camp expects to add participants from Europe and the Americas.
Like all scouts eager to experience the thrill of nature, campers will
sleep in tents but the campsite will include modern facilities like
washrooms, administrative offices and a mess hall.
If the AGBU Armenia camp is the new kid on the block, one program
established only last year continues to generate a lot of attention
among potential college participants: the AGBU Yerevan Summer Intern
Program (YSIP). "There was great excitement from students across the
United States and Canada about YSIP. Like all college students, their
biggest concern was budgetary. They also had practical concerns about
facilities and the types of experiences the program could offer. The
students were excited that YSIP exposed them to the city life of
Yerevan, they were impressed by the dormitory facility, the types of
trips we planned for them across Armenia and the support available to
each of them during their stay," Duzian explained.
To round out the programs, AGBU will also be welcoming Armenian youth
aged 15 to 18 for another summer of volunteerism and tourism for the
Youth Trip to Armenia. This trip seeks to instill pride in youth eager
to learn more about their heritage and the wonders of Armenia.
Across North America
Beginning on January 9, 2008, Duzian landed in the Los Angeles area and
spoke at Armenian schools across the region, including the AGBU Pasadena
High School, AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School, the AGBU Orange County
Saturday School, and the TCA Arshag Dickranian School. Duzian also spoke
to local scout groups and members of the AGBU Generation Next Mentorship
Program. She was also interviewed on the popular Horizon Armenian
television channel and promoted the AGBU programs with parents across
Southern California.
On January 14, Duzian traveled to Michigan to speak to students and
parents at the AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School in Southfield, MI. The
following day, she went north of the border to Toronto, Canada where she
spoke to local Armenian television, students at the local AGBU Zaroukian
school, and members of the AGBU Toronto chapter.
On January 17, she traveled to Montreal where she was greeted by
enthusiastic students at the AGBU Armen Quebec school, and over 200
scouts from the local AGBU scout troop. She also hosted a special
presentation for local university-aged youth, who learned not only about
YSIP but also its sister internship programs in New York and Montreal.
She was also interviewed by "Abaka" Armenian newspaper, which is
headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
Beginning March 25, Duzian will be travelling to Egypt, Lebanon and
Syria to speak to local Armenian communities about AGBU’s summer 2008
programs in Armenia.
For more information on all three summer programs in Armenia, please
visit For specific details on each program,
please email ysip@agbu.org for the Yerevan Summer Internship Program,
email Hermine Duzian at hduzian@ugabfrance.org for the Youth Trips to
Armenia, and contact Kevork Santourian at ksantourian@hotmail.com for
the new AGBU Scout Camp in Armenia.
Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City with an
annual budget of $36 million, AGBU preserves and promotes the Armenian
identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs, annually touching the lives of some 400,000 Armenians on six
continents.