Met as a “Yeghbair”; Reunited as an “Unger”

I don’t think people always fully appreciate and understand the greatness of Armenian youth organizations. It’s been almost a full year since I participated in the Homenetmen scouts jamboree where I met new people and formed friendships that would have otherwise never have been formed. The bonds made would last a lifetime, but I sadly left Armenia believing that I would probably never see most of these people again.

Kobe’s Foul Paves Way for AYF Layup

Last week, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) took the opportunity to initiate a campaign to expose a newly signed endorsement deal for Kobe Bryant to promote Turkish Airlines in the global market. The AYF expressed its disappointment with Kobe and has publicly asked him to back out of the deal due to Turkish Airlines’ strong association with the Turkish government (the government holds a 49% ownership stake in the airline).

Circumstance, Choice & Change: The Story of Gyumri and the AYF Youth Corps Program

We often don’t realize that as humans, we don’t always inherit the best of worlds. Born without choice, we are thrown into consciousness; into a reality we had no part in shaping. As we travel through life, our surroundings, the people in our lives and the societies in which we live all etch their imprint into our very being, shaping our lives and the people we are to become.

Հնամենի Գիւմրի

Կումայրի, Ալեքսանդրապոլ, Լենինական, Գիւմրի. չորս անուններով է ամբողջանում քաղաքի պատմութիւնը, որը սկիզբ է առել դարերի խորքից ու կարծես պատրաստ է հոսել դէպ յաւերժութիւն…

Karabakh President Speaks at World Affairs Council

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) President Bako Sahakian said Friday the Kosovo precedent was important for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and rebuffed Azeri attempts to poison his appearance at a gathering hosted by Orange County World Affairs Council at the Pacific Club, where Sahakian was the keynote speaker.

Moments Captured in Time: Photography from Armenia and the Diaspora

Expressing yourself is probably one of the most important things you can do in your life. Photography is magic. Since it started about 200 years ago it still hasn’t left us. Mediums like film and music owe a lot of their method to photography. For me personally, I love capturing moments, things that move, things that need to stand still to be more appreciated. To me photography is all about the details.

Channeling a United Community: H.Res 252 and Beyond

As another April comes and goes, and we mourn the loss of our ancestors almost a century ago, we again look toward recognition. States, counties, cities and municipalities will pass resolutions in their legislative bodies acknowledging truth, paying homage to social justice and international human rights. Rallies will assemble, protests will emerge and we will unite with our brothers and sisters around the world demanding that the Republic of Turkey accept guilt for its atrocities beginning in 1915. Such has been the case for decades and we have made inroads in our battle for justice. With that said, there are still many milestones toward recognition which the Armenian community is still looking to accomplish.

Men in Black in Little Armenia

In 1915, over 1.5 million Armenians were removed from their homes and subsequently massacred by the Ottoman Turks in what is known as the Aghed (catastrophe) or the Armenian genocide. Each year, April 24 is the day when Armenians around the world remember the death of their ancestors under the brutal hand of the Ottoman Turkish government. The year is 2007, this year, the cloudless sky and warm California weather made for an apt setting to commemorate April 24 in Los Angeles’ Little Armenia. Thousands of Armenians prepared to meet near the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Hobart Street for a commemorative march across town.

Culture: The Indestructible Bridge

The horrendous crimes of genocide committed by the Ottoman Government against the Armenians in 1915 will forever be a bitter truth in Armenian history, but it does not identify us as a people. We have much to celebrate in our few thousand years of existence and, most importantly, we must feel proud to have survived through what I hope was the worst of it. However, our existence today does not mean that our fight for survival is unnecessary; on the contrary, every day we are fighting for the survival of our language, our faith, our homeland, and especially the survival of our future.

What Georgia Can Learn from the US Census

In anticipation of the 2010 Census, a large effort is being made in the U.S. to reach out to the Armenian population and make sure they mark themselves as Armenians. According to U.S. federal law, if there is a large enough number of an ethnic group in a region, than that ethnic group is entitled to a certain level of representation within its locality. The U.S. Census counts all citizens—including illegal aliens—who pay their taxes and, thus, deserve basic rights in local issues. The government is also mandated to accommodate to the linguistic needs of large ethnic groups, through things such as bilingual education and translation.

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