Category: 2023

The following remarks were delivered at the AYF Washington DC “Ani” Chapter’s “Service to the Community and Homeland” event, marking the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Youth Federation, held on December 9, 2023. Sune Hamparian recently completed a summer internship at the Yerevan office of human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan, organized through the Armenian Legal Center.

Sune Hamparian

It was in this church, this very hall, among so many of you gathered here today, that I first heard the human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan. The 44-day Artsakh War still fresh in my mind, I felt at that time what I think a lot of us felt—hopeless. As larger and more powerful forces attacked our lands, we watched the rest of the world stand silent to the atrocities our people faced. Each day brought knowledge of new tragedies, unable to prevent the crimes we were presented with each and every day.

Siranush seemed to be the light in the darkness. A candle in the night. In this hall, hearing Siranush talk, I felt for the first time that someone was answering my midnight questions. How could justice possibly be found? She talked about the prisoners of the Artsakh War. For the first time, I heard all the facts, the cruel truth, the reality on the ground. I remember listening, enraptured by her words, jotting down each and everything that she said. Not only did I see the problems more clearly, but I saw a course through which action could be taken—international courts. Siranush, with the support of the Armenian Legal Center, was not one of the people who idly stood by and watched. She stepped up to the plate and found a way to change the situation.

The opportunity to work with Siranush was the highlight of summer and will continue to inspire me throughout the rest of my life. During the war, she started the process of taking human rights violations to the international courts. She collected evidence, from video recordings to individual accounts, sifting through and purposefully putting herself in front of the cruelest aspects of humanity, each day hearing the painstaking accounts and visuals of tortured, mutilated and murdered individuals.

In the time between that first meeting and the internship, Siranush became my idol—and not some distant icon, a movie superhero—but a real hero, a human hero, an Armenian hero. I hoped to be just like her, but that’s easier wished for than accomplished.

When I first began the internship, reading through the collections of evidence tore me down. Some nights I didn’t know what to do but cry. The stories of each soldier stayed with me. Their lives stayed with me. Their service, their sacrifice, their suffering. Their age, the same as mine, but their lives so vastly different.

Siranush’s strength, her power and her perseverance pushed me to continue the work, to understand that while it was hard, getting to know each soldier was necessary to deliver the justice they deserved and that each of their families so desperately needed.

I’m not a lawyer. But through the internship, working with Siranush, and with the help of law students, I was able to play a part in that justice. I learned to turn the evidence I had spent so much time reviewing into structured evidence and draft case summaries. I studied laws here in the U.S. to learn about sanctions as a possible remedy.

Through the entire process, I learned there are ways. There are countless ways we can help, whether that is through going to a protest, pressuring members of Congress, doing service projects or writing a case summary. Because each of us is part of the solution. Each of us a single candle that together lights the night. And when the path ahead is not clear, when there is no way, we make a way.

Because Երբ չի լինում ելք ու ճար, խենթերն են գտնում հնար.

A multi-generational packed house at the AYF 90th anniversary program held on December 9 at the Soorp Khatch Armenian Church Arabian Hall

WASHINGTON—The Armenian Youth Federation – Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF) Washington, D.C. “Ani” Senior and “Sevan” Junior chapters rallied support for Artsakh’s forcibly displaced Armenian population at the “Service to the Community and Homeland” event marking the 90th anniversary of the hallowed youth organization.

AYF D.C. “Ani” Chapter “Service to Community and Homeland” emcee Nayiri Shahnazarian

“Ninety years ago, the ARF leadership in North America invited General Karekin Njdeh to travel to communities across the United States and Canada with a mission—to inspire Armenian youth to organize a powerful force for Armenian freedom. A force—built on the pillars of education, Hai Tahd, culture, athletics and socials—which would become a worldwide youth movement building toward the ultimate goal of a free, independent, united Armenia,” stated AYF “Ani” Chair Nayiri Shahnazarian, who guided attendees through an evening of empowering stories of youth activism locally and in the Armenian homeland.

Tsoghig Hekimian offers an alumni perspective on the AYF’s youth empowerment programs

Held on Saturday, December 9, at Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church Arabian Hall, AYF alumni and current members offered anecdotes of their time in the organization. They regaled attendees with how their participation in the AYF Internship and Homenetmen Jamboree—both in Armenia this past summer—and local activities educated them and motivated expanded community service initiatives.

Offering an alumni perspective, Tsoghig Hekimian shared stories of university activism to ensure proper representation of the Armenian Genocide at Los Angeles’ Museum of Tolerance and how the AYF has served as the foundation to her ongoing service to the ARF, Armenian Relief Society and the Armenian National Committee of America.

AYF “Sevan” Chapter member Alek Tekeyan offered a powerful presentation of Vazgen Ovyan’s “Այս Ղարաբաղն է” (This is Karabakh), after which Maria Stepanyan led attendees in singing “Zartir Lao” while her brother Sevak accompanied on guitar. AYF “Sevan” Junior Chapter chair Karine Najarian and secretary Meghri Aguilian offered an update on an impressive array of junior chapter accomplishments in 2023. A moving presentation on the 2023 Homenetmen Jamboree in Armenia was offered by Mary Markarian, Meghri Aguilian and Sebouh Kassardjian.  Attendees delighted in the musical talents of Alexandra and Lilia Yaralian, who enthralled with their playing of the kanun. 

AYF D.C. “Ani” Senior Chris Huth discusses how the AYF Summer Internship in Armenia further connected him to the Armenian homeland

The evening concluded with Chris Huth’s overview of his unforgettable moments of connecting to the homeland and cause through the AYF Internship in Armenia and Sune Hamparian’s life-changing summer of service interning with international human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan in Yerevan in the ongoing international campaign to secure justice for Armenian POWs and political prisoners held illegally by Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s genocidal ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s indigenous Armenian population, coupled with the corrupt Aliyev regime’s ongoing occupation of sovereign Armenian land and illegal detention of Armenian POWs and political prisoners, prompted Washington AYF supporters to donate over $2,000 to assist Artsakh refugees, bringing the local AYF chapter closer to honoring its annual commitment to raise $10,000 for Artsakh youth-related projects. To support the AYF “Ani” Chapter’s Artsakh-related programs, visit https://givebutter.com/dcani and put “Anniversary Dinner for Artsakh” in the comments.

A special thank you to our AYF “Ani” Seniors and “Sevan” Juniors who served the evening’s delicious buffet dinner catered by Vache Abkarian and his family-owned Sasun’s Cafe

Additional video from the AYF “Service to Community and Homeland” event will be posted to the D.C. chapter’s social media channels.

The gathering of AYF members at the ARF Aram Manougian Youth Center in Yerevan, Armenia for distribution of the first backpacks filled with school essentials

On Sunday, December 17, through the AYF-YOARF Eastern Region’s “Sponsor a Student” initiative, 54 Juniors from five different regions of Artsakh gathered at the ARF Aram Manougian Youth Center in Yerevan, Armenia to receive their backpacks.

The “Sponsor a Student” initiative was launched in response to the crisis in our homeland. The AYF-YOARF Eastern Region decided to raise funds to provide supplies to school-aged children who were displaced from their homes in Artsakh. Since the launch, the campaign has raised nearly $18,000. With these collected funds, the AYF-YOARF purchased backpacks, filled them with school supplies and distributed them to displaced children this past Sunday. 

The New Jersey “Arsen” Junior Chapter shares a special video Christmas message with the Artsakh AYF Juniors

The backpacks include all the essentials to help alleviate the students’ transition to starting school in Armenia. This includes notebooks, pens, pencils, pencil cases, rulers, protractors, erasers, sharpeners, drawing compasses, pins and water bottles. ARF Youth members of Armenia also participated in the program to help facilitate new introductions and ensure organization of the distribution. The morning began with announcements from the Artsakh AYF Central Executive and a special video from the New Jersey “Arsen” Junior Chapter wishing the Artsakh AYF Juniors a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This gathering was an opportunity for the youth from Artsakh to come together, and while for some it was a reunion, for others it was an opportunity to meet new friends. 

Artsakh AYF Juniors singing together

After the introductions, the Juniors were split into teams to play games, which was followed by singing songs and reciting poems. At first, only a few Juniors were willing to sing, but by the end of the second song, everyone was volunteering to sing and recite their favorite poems. The program concluded with distributing backpacks to the youth members. Everyone left feeling excited for the upcoming events and reunions that the Artsakh AYF Central Executive is planning alongside other regions. 

Throughout the event, the beautiful dialect of Artsakh echoed in the room, whether it was through the games, the whispers between reunited friends or the parents’ encouragement and guidance of their children. The Artsakh dialect was not the only way the room was filled with Artsakhtsi spirit—it was evident in every opportunity throughout the event. The team names selected by the Juniors were: “Artsakhtsiner,” “Artsakhi Oujer,” “Avo,” “Monteapert” and “Artsakh” (Արցախցիներ, Արցախի ուժեր, Աւօ, Մոնթեաբերդ, Արցախ). 

Artsakh AYF Juniors enjoy delicious traditional Artsakh food, including Jingalyov hats and gurgut

The trivia game included questions about Artsakh’s history, geography, architecture, heroes, culture and songs. The poems and even the delicious traditional Artsakh food, like Jingalyov hats and gurgut, served as reminders of Artsakh’s resilience and the undying hope of return to the homeland. 

A donation of $50 sponsors a backpack and supplies for one student. The Central Executive has set a Round 1 goal of $25,000 to sponsor 500 students. Upon reaching this goal, future rounds will be announced to continue providing additional support to those children who have not yet received supplies. Future donation rounds will be aimed at delivering backpacks to those Artsakhtsis living outside of Yerevan and throughout the entirety of Armenia. 

Artsakh AYF Juniors show off their new backpacks filled with essential school supplies thanks to the AYF “Sponsor a Student” program

As the youth organization of the ARF, the Central Executive finds it important and necessary to support our fellow youth of Artsakh and ensure that we maintain their access to education through these extremely difficult times in our nation’s history.

To fund successive rounds of backpack deliveries, we need your continued generosity and support. If you would like to make a donation, please visit givebutter.com/artsakhfund to support this extremely vital initiative.

Cabinet meeting on December 14, 2023 (Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia)

YEREVAN—In a recent Cabinet session, the Armenian government approved the procedure for organizing and conducting joint working meetings between bilateral commissions on state border delimitation and security with Azerbaijan.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Justice Ara Mkrtchyan, who introduced the draft of the procedure, emphasized that the adoption of this procedural framework will empower commission members to establish the groundwork for border delimitation and demarcation processes. This framework aims to cover legal and technical aspects, ultimately leading to the development and signing of a pertinent document demarcating the national border between the two nations.

According to Mkrtchyan, the time, date and venue of these sessions will be mutually agreed upon by the commission chairpersons. The sessions will occur alternately in Armenia and Azerbaijan’s territories, along their shared border, in third-country territories or through video conferencing. “If conducted in either country’s territory, the hosting side will ensure all necessary conditions, including participants’ safety,” highlighted Mkrtchyan during the December 14 cabinet meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan underscored the document’s current role in regulating organizational matters and facilitating bilateral interaction between the two sides. Grigoryan said that the next step in the process will be to create another set of rules that would focus on defining specific methodologies. This would include detailed descriptions of crucial terms like the definition of a map and what exactly qualifies as a document with legal significance. Once consensus is reached on these methodologies, the plan is to move forward with concrete documents and engage in discussions specifically centered around topographic maps.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stressed the necessity for reciprocal approval from the Azerbaijani side, asserting: “The institutionalization of the border delimitation process marks a historic milestone. Its transparency is crucial. It’s not a confidential document. It will be open to the public.” Pashinyan urged an intensified collaborative effort to propel the ongoing work forward and achieve tangible progress.

Pashinyan also unveiled the “Crossroads of Peace” initiative during the Ministerial Meeting of Landlocked Developing Countries on December 14. The PM’s presentation emphasized the regime’s readiness to actively engage in re-establishing communication channels with Azerbaijan.

Addressing the potential for signing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the near future, Pashinyan highlighted that if Baku upholds its agreements, the prospect of a peace treaty will “increase in probability.”

Expressing Armenia’s intent, Pashinyan stated, “The Republic of Armenia is committed to reinstating railway connections between Azerbaijan and Armenia, utilizing the pre-existing railway infrastructures.” The proposed routes include the northern track connecting Azerbaijan’s Kazakh district to Armenia’s Tavush province and the southern track linking various regions of Azerbaijan, including its exclave Nakhichevan.

Pashinyan also addressed the recent exchange of 32 Armenian POWs for two Azerbaijani soldiers on December 13, regarding it as a starting point for potential progress. He stated, “I consider the recent developments as a baseline from which we can strive to ensure that forthcoming updates signify an increased likelihood of signing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, not the contrary.”

However, concerns persist, as dozens of Armenian prisoners and the military-political leaders of Artsakh are still detained in Baku.

Former Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan highlighted the return of 32 Armenians from captivity in Baku as a positive step, yet drew attention to the unresolved plight of at least 23 confirmed prisoners who remain detained in Azerbaijan. Among them, 14 are civilians who were captured between 2020 and 2023, with approximately 20 originating from Artsakh. “It is imperative that all these individuals be released, and international pressure is needed to ensure their freedom,” Beglaryan said. 

Beglaryan’s remarks shed light on the continuing concerns regarding those who remain imprisoned in Azerbaijan, urging concerted efforts to secure the release of these detainees, particularly emphasizing the civilian status of a significant portion of the captives.

In the midst of negotiations, during a joint press conference in Baku, significant remarks were made following a meeting between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Bayramov said that a recent package of draft proposals for a peace treaty from Armenia indicates “certain progress.”

However, contentious points on a peace treaty persisted, notably Baku’s dismissal of Yerevan’s proposition to withdraw troops from the border. As a consequence of Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenia in May and November of 2021, and September 13, 2022, Azerbaijan has seized control of over 150 square kilometers of sovereign Armenian territory. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had recently mentioned the withdrawal of troops as an important confidence-building measure that would prevent new escalations.

Bayramov dismissed the suggestion during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart, claiming that the Azerbaijani army remains within its territory. Bayramov denied that Azerbaijan occupies Armenian territory, highlighting the complexity of the undelimited Armenian-Azerbaijani border. 

Amid intensified diplomatic efforts, including Azerbaijan’s bid to involve Turkey in talks with Armenia, and evolving proposals, members of the international community have expressed their anticipation for forthcoming meetings. They pin hopes on these discussions to yield substantial advancements toward securing enduring peace and stability between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The European Union has taken a significant step by engaging with both Baku and Yerevan to organize a forthcoming meeting in Brussels. This development follows confirmation that Azerbaijan accepted a proposed meeting initiated by the United States. The meeting, scheduled for January, is set to bring together the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington. This follows Azerbaijan’s recent refusal to participate in high-level talks organized by the United States and the EU.

Head of the press service at the U.S. State Department Matthew Miller has extended a warm welcome to Turkey’s involvement in negotiations. He highlighted the shared stance between Washington and Ankara in backing direct talks between Yerevan and Baku and their mutual support for achieving lasting peace in the region.

In an interview with ABC Media, Turkish expert Tiran Lokmagyozyan underscored that such steps by Azerbaijan and the statements emerging from Turkey suggest the imminent signing of a peace agreement within a notably short span.

Lokmagyozyan cautioned that the primary objective of this agreement might not solely revolve around achieving peace. He suggested that the agreement may include provisions aligning with the interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey. He referenced EU Council President Charles Michel’s remarks about the importance of signing a peace treaty, which he argued signifies a synchronized effort between the Armenian government, the West and Azerbaijan.

Political scientist Artur Martirosyan has criticized the reliance on guarantees or agreements for lasting peace in Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations, highlighting the challenges of proposed mechanisms and the lack of an arbitrator to enforce international norms. He expressed doubts about the forthcoming meeting between the foreign ministers in Washington, arguing that Azerbaijan could manipulate it for political advantage in its upcoming snap presidential elections. Martirosyan also suggests that Armenian concessions may not lead to peace due to potential hindrances from Azerbaijan and Turkey.