PRESS RELEASE
January 7, 2005
Junior Achievement of Armenia
1102 North Brand Blvd. #61
Glendale, CA 91202
Contact: Beth Broussalian
Tel: 858-792-4656
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Armenia Participates in Global Board Meeting
of Junior Achievement Worldwide
New York, NY – Armenia was among dozens of affiliates participating in
the quarterly Board Meeting of Junior Achievement Worldwide (JAW), the
world’s largest organization dedicated to educating young people about
economics, citizenship and business ethics.
JAW staff, members of its Board of Directors and representatives from
many of its 97 member countries, which range from France and Armenia to
Argentina, Egypt, Botswana and Japan, converged in New York City on
December 5 and 6 for the event. The JAW Board of Directors includes
executives of a variety of leading organizations and corporations,
including the Eurasia Foundation, Columbia University, Fedex, Verizon,
Monster, 3M, Hewlett-Packard, and HSBC.
Representing Armenia was Ani Darakdjian, US Director of Junior
Achievement of Armenia (JAA), an affiliate of Junior Achievement
Worldwide.
The agenda for the two-day event included committee meetings intended to
review strategic direction, program development and the organization’s
fundraising efforts around the world. Following the recent merger of
JA’s United States operations with its international affiliates, there
were also discussions about the continuing integration of the
organization, including how US regional chapters can assist member
nations in their development.
Doyin Oguntona, President of JA Nigeria, and Jaime Santibanez, President
of JA Mexico, both presented overviews of the growth and successes of
their respective organizations.
Participants also learned that Scott Bedbury, former Marketing head at
Nike and Starbuck’s, the mind behind Nike’s “Just Do It” ad
campaign, and the author of A New Brand World, will be helping JAW build
and protect its valuable brand. Mr. Bedbury happily accepted the job
because his wife had been positively impacted by Junior Achievement
courses as a teenager.
“Discussing the common concerns and goals of Junior Achievement
affiliates – from the greater Boston area to Flemish Belgium and the
outer reaches of Lori Province – makes it clear that the world is more
interconnected than it has ever been,” said Ms. Darakdjian. “We are all
in this together.”
Armenia may benefit from deepening ties with Europe in particular.
Efforts are already underway to establish a JAA Alumni Association, one
of the goals of which will be to interact with European alumni groups,
thus helping enhance relations, understanding and trade between Armenia
and Europe.
JA Armenia has been recognized as one of the great success stories in
the field of Economics education. In past JAW conferences, it has swept
awards ceremonies, garnering trophies for quality, innovation, growth
and media awareness. Though operating in one of the smallest countries
in the world, it is one of the largest and most dynamic JA affiliates,
with courses in each of Armenia’s 1359 high schools. JAA’s Yerevan
headquarters and its network of eight regional offices oversee the
ongoing training of thousands of educators who currently teach JAA’s
Civics and Economics courses to more than 170,000 students each year.
“I learned at this meeting that, of all 97 member nations, JA Armenia is
indeed one of the top-ranking nations, surpassed only by the United
Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Kazakhstan and Russia,” said Ms Darakdjian. “We
set an example for so many Junior Achievement countries and are creating
a pathway for our students to integrate proudly into the global economy.
Our students are learning that not only can they play a significant role
in the direction Armenia is headed as a country but they can also be a
force in global trends.”
Junior Achievement of Armenia was established in 1992 to assist
Armenia’s transition to democratic governance and a free-market
economy. JAA’s mission is to give today’s Armenian youth the
necessary skills and knowledge to compete and succeed in tomorrow’s
world. The mission is accomplished through Economics and Civics
education. By 2005, nearly 20% of the total population will have taken a
course taught by a JAA-trained teacher. For additional information,
please call (818) 753-4997 or visit JAA’s website at