PRESS RELEASE
March 25, 2009

Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region
122 W. 27th St. Floor 12, New York, NY 10001
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918
Email: karine@anca.org

ANCA EASTERN REGION HOSTS SUCCESSFUL MID-ATLANTIC WORKSHOP

Englewood, NJ- Activists from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
and Virginia gathered on Saturday, March 21, 2009, for an
educational workshop organized by the Armenian National Committee
of America, Eastern Region (ANCA-ER).  The event entitled "Unlock
Your Inner Activist," was open to community members throughout the
Mid-Atlantic to further their knowledge about the ANCA and
organizing collectively on a grassroots level.

"The ANCA ER Board organized the workshop to encourage activists to
expand their involvement locally and regionally," commented ANCA ER
Executive Director Karine Birazian.  "We hope to expand these
workshops to the Mid West as well as New England states, and
continue to engage ANCA activists of the important issues we are
dealing with."

Shant Mardirossian, Chairman of the Near East Foundation, presented
an informative and touching history of the Near East Relief Project
and current projects that the organization is undertaking.  Other
presenters included ANCA Eastern Region board members, Dikran
Kaligian, Ari Killian, Aram Sarafian, as well as members of the
ANCA national headquarters, Raffi Karakashian, Garo Manjikian, and
Phil Nigon, and Eastern Region Executive Director, Karine Birazian.
Topics included chapter goal setting, strategic planning,
organizing communities, utilizing technology, current legislative
issues, local fundraising, as well as updates on the Anti
Defamation League and No Place for Hate.

Daniel Stepanian-Bennett, ANCA Capital Gateway Fellow and former
Michigan native commented, "the workshop gave me a valuable
experience of everything I need to do in order to become a better
activist in my local community.  Each presenter encompassed a
different aspect of value, which amounted to be a well informative
event."

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the
concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.
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Photo Caption: ANC of Pennsylvania activists Sosi Hovagimian and
Raffi Hovagimian, and ANC of New Jersey activist Razmig Tchaghlasian