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PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
AGBU’s Discover Armenia Trip Exposes Diasporan Teens to Their Heritage
For the fifth consecutive year, AGBU’s Discover Armenia organized an
action-packed trip to Armenia and neighboring Karabakh for diasporan
youth ages 15 to 18. From August 8 – 27, 22 youths from 13 cities and
6 countries spent 20 unforgettable days in Armenia under the direction
and guidance of Herminé Duzian, AGBU Diaspora Youth Programs
Coordinator in Armenia. The youths hailed from Belgium (Anvers),
Canada (Toronto, Montreal), France (Paris, Marseilles, Vienne,
Valance, Bordeaux), Germany (Munich), Lebanon (Beirut), and the United
States of America (New Jersey, New York, California).
Along with visits to Garni, Geghard, the Holy See of Etchmiadzin,
Noravank, the AGBU Nork Children’s Center, Oshakan, the
Tsitsernakabert Armenian Genocide Museum, Sardarapat, Sevan, the
AGBU-sponsored Vazkenian Theological Seminary and other landmarks and
museums, the participants also learned the value of volunteerism by
helping with the renovation of homes in the village of Khor Virap,
which was sponsored by the Fuller organization, and in the cleaning of
the Khosrov Forest State Preserve, coordinated by the World Wildlife
Fund.
The youths had a number of unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences,
including climbing Armenia’s highest mountain, Mount Aragats, and
spending an unforgettable evening with renowned Armenian pop singers
Shushan Petrossian and Arsen Grigorian at the AGBU Camp Antranik in
the Lori region.
The group also went to Karabakh, where they became acquainted with
local AGBU projects and visited the city of Shushi and the medieval
monastic complex of Gandzasar.
The trip aims to expose participating youth to the wondrous nature of
Armenia and the lives of its citizens. "This is my first time in
Armenia and I liked it a lot. I will definitely return in the
future. I will help my people as much as I can to make Armenia a
better place," said Haigaram Kalindjian, who grew up in Lebanon and
currently attends a Canadian college.
Talin Knadjian of Belgium shares Kalindjian’s enthusiasm: "When we
went to Khor Virap to help renovate houses, we got acquainted with
several young people there. They asked me what I do and I became
acquainted with their everyday activities. They were very kind to us
and were very happy that a group of Armenians from abroad had come to
help them. It was all very memorable."
For more information about next year’s Discover Armenia trip, please
email Herminé Duzian at hduzian@ugabfrance.org.
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.