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PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Paris Summer Intern Program Wraps Up 6th Season; Applications Already
Available for 2009
On July 1, 2008, fourteen interns from Lebanon, Armenia, Iran, Canada
and the United States landed on French soil for five-week internships
and a plethora of cultural, social, and professional activities through
the AGBU Paris Summer Intern Program (PSIP).
Student internships in 2008 included work at Thomson Telecom
Communications, Kalayciyan Architecture, Grant Thornton Management
Consulting, France Loisirs Literature and Culture Organization, the
National French Council, and several prestigious museums, like Musee
d’Orsay and the Louvre.
In addition to work, interns were also able to enjoy the sites and
culture of Paris on a daily basis. Group visits to Notre Dame Cathedral,
the Louvre were just a few of many highlights. The interns also had the
chance to visit the Parisian representatives of the Republic of Nagorno
Karabakh and the Armenian Embassy. They later met with Archbishop Norvan
Zakarian at the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Paris.
Weekend trips included tours of Normandy, Trouville-sur-Mer, Honfleur,
and Chateau de Versailles. Interns enjoyed visiting rural areas near the
English Channel and several picturesque sea ports.
To complement their work and social experience, interns attended several
lectures during the summer which featured leading intellectuals and
professionals. Raymond Kevorkian, a historian and AGBU Nubarian Library
director, spoke about the role of the library in conserving Armenian
heritage. Professor Claude Mutafian, a mathematician and historian,
spoke about the magic of Armenian writing. Sasun Saugy, the President of
the Armenian International Professional Group, discussed the Diaspora’s
role in supporting economic development in Armenia.
The summer came to a close with a Supervisor’s Reception held at the
AGBU Center in Paris. This event is a way to reflect on the summer,
recognize the interns’ hard work and graciously thank the professional
supervisor’s and AGBU PSIP staff. Sacha Mirzoyan, as the intern
coordinator, and Zarouhi Odabashian as the project manager, led this
year’s group.
"PSIP facilitates communication between Armenians from the Diaspora and
the motherland," said Christine Kavazanjian, an intern from 2008 and
student at the University of Toronto. "For six weeks, the interns become
progressively closer to each other and we will, for sure, stay in touch
after the program."
Established in 2003 and sponsored by AGBU France District, the AGBU
Paris Summer Intern Program places young, aspiring Armenians in
several-week internships working for leading organizations in Paris, the
City of Lights. Integral to the summer intern program is a dynamic
series of cultural, educational, and social activities. For more
information or to download an application for 2009 please visit