PRESS RELEASE
The Paros Foundation
918 Parker Street, Suite A14
Berkeley, CA 94710
Contact: Peter Abajian
Tel: 310.400.9061
Email: pabajian@gmail.com
Web:

ARMENIANS RISE TO VICTORY IN ADOBE SPONSORED PHOTO COMPETITION

In May 2009,Adobe Youth Voices, a global youth media initiative, in
collaboration withWKCD(What Kids Can Do), asked youth worldwide to
submit pairs of photographs that capture what is challenging and what
gives hope in the world today – from their unique perspective.

Learning of the Photo Competition by Adobe, several students from
Manana Youth Center submitted their photographs for consideration
along with hundreds of other entries from around the world.

In September, the winners of round one of the Competition were
announced andHovnan Baghdasaryan, 13, a student of Manana Youth
Center was selected as one of the ten winners.

Interestingly, half way around the world in Tasmania, Australia, 17
year oldKatherine Goudsouzian, also of Armenian heritage was also
notified that she too was selected as a winner in the Competition.

The photos of 8 other young photojournalists from the Manana Youth
Center were commended in the Competition through a special category
that recognized outstanding single photos.

`Many of the photos that the students selected to enter into the
competition were taken in the city of Nor Hajin as part of a Bay Area
Friends of Armenia (BAFA) funded project to engage the children of Nor
Hajin in after school activities through multimedia. The Manana Youth
Center conducted a workshop with support from BAFA and paired students
from the Manana Youth Center with students living in Nor Hajin. Each
team took photos of the town and residents of Nor Hajin. Together they
were able to tell the story of life in Nor Hajin through their
individual perspectives,’Said Ruzan Baghdasaryan, Executive Director
of the Manana Youth Center.

`Congratulations to all the winners and especially to the Manana Youth
Center and to the Bay Area Friends of Armenia. This collaboration and
delightful outcome is exactly the kind of outcome we promote through
our efforts with outstanding NGOs in Armenia.’ Said Peter Abajian,
Executive Director of the Paros Foundation, a Principle Sponsor of the
Manana Youth Center.

To view the winning photos, for more information, please visit their
website at

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Warmest regards,
Peter J. Abajian
Executive Director
Paros Foundation
(093) 99-80-99 From US dial 011-374-93-99-80-99
US Cell (310) 400-9061
pabajian@gmail.com

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