Azad-Hye
The opening ceremony of the “Summer School for Young Leaders program” was held at the Ministry of Diaspora on 02 August 2011.
The program aims at creating a mutual knowledge base for young Armenian leaders and activists in Armenian communities, connecting them with motherland and making them aware about the experience in Armenian public domain and state administration.
The participants have also the chance to be introduced into Armenia's domestic and foreign policies through meetings with officials. This will open way for future cooperation.
The opening ceremony was attended by Hranush Hakobyan (Minister of Diaspora), Father Vardan Navasardyan (Head of the Christian Education Center in the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin), Aram Sargsyan (Vice-President of the World Armenian Congress), Hayk Demoyan (Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute) and Artak Shakaryan (Director of the Summer School for Young Leaders). See seating row in the group photo.
24 active youth (ages of 21-24) representing Armenian communities of USA, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Spain, UAE and Spain participated in the program.
Member of the UAE Armenian Forum Datev Soulian participated in the program.
ADDITIONAL READING
On this occasion “Hayern Aysor” correspondent Lusine Abrahamyan met several young leaders. Below are their views:
Narine Avanesyan (teaches English at the Linguistic University in Pyatigorsk and works at the Armenian Language and Culture Center at the same university): “I hope that this program will help me know more about what my center can do and what is necessary for children to preserve our customs, language and the Armenian identity”.
Anahit Grigoryan (President of the Gladzor Armenian Student Organization in the Netherlands): “The organization was established five years ago and has nearly 335 members. We try to engage Dutch-Armenian students in the organization, carry out different programs and help them find jobs. We hope that this program will help us establish contacts and strengthen relations with Armenian youth”.
Lusine Sukiasyan (Representative of the coordinating union for Armenian organizations in the Netherlands): “Our organization was established a year ago, and we have carried out many programs with the Ministry of Diaspora in the past year. Last year, 18 youth participated in the Ari Tun program, and 45 are participating this year.”
