A Historic Day at High School-Pasadena

From the AGBU High School – Pasadena website:

On March 27, 2009 and upon the invitation of the AGBU High School Pasadena Administration, 8th grade students from sister schools Alfred & Margaret Hovsepian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy and Mekhitarist Fathers’ School spent half a day on campus to get acquainted with the school and attend an Armenian theatrical performance by students of the only Armenian high school in southern California established in 2006 to meet the needs of high school students. It is worth mentioning that for the past three years AGBU High School – Pasadena (HS-P) has enrolled many students from all three middle schools. The sixty-four visiting 8th graders were accompanied by their principals Shahé Mankerian (Hovsepian), Vosgan Mekhitarian (Mekhitarian) and several teachers from all three schools.

Upon arrival around 10:00 am, School Principal Hagop Hagopian and Vice Principal Dr. Talin Kargodorian welcomed the guest students and gave them a brief campus tour. The guests enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere surrounding the school and were excited to see some of their former schoolmates who are continuing their high school education at AGBU.

To read the whole release, please visit here.

American University of Armenia & World Bank Armenia Jointly Set up Knowledge for Development Center

From the World Bank we receive the following news about the AGBU-funded American University of Armenia:

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, 2009 – Today, the World Bank Yerevan Office and the American University of Armenia (AUA) held the launching ceremony of a partner initiative – the Knowledge for Development Center. The Memorandum of Agreement has been signed by Mr. Aristomene Varoudakis, WB Country Manager in Armenia, and Dr. Haroutune Armenian, President of AUA.
The Agreement outlines the basis for cooperation and joint activities of the two institutions in knowledge dissemination, learning and capacity building for the development arena. The WB and AUA jointly set up the Center within the AUA Papazian Library to provide the public with free access to information on development and to encourage knowledge sharing and policy dialogue among the widest audiences possible.

The World Bank has partnered with the American University of Armenia Papazian Library to bring the public up-to-date and thorough information on World Bank-sponsored development projects in Armenia, as well as research and analytical works on the country and global development issues through the Knowledge for Development Center. The Center provides hard copies of recent World Bank publications, reports, studies, project information, videos, and documentaries and other materials, as well as on-line access to the World Bank archive dating back to 1947, with the ability to download and print any publicly available document in the database.

“We are very pleased with this cooperation with the American University of Armenia, said Aristomene Varoudakis, the WB Country manager for Armenia. – The Center also aims to play as a hub for facilitating dialogue, consultations, and knowledge-sharing sessions among academia, the media, the government, the Civil Society, and as well as the private sector in the area.”

For Haroutune Armenian, President of the AUA: “This is a great addition to what will be available to the broader public of Armenia. In the long term history of nations, wealth of intellectual products is more consequential and significant than material wealth. A knowledge society is what most nations are striving for and we as a University have an important role to play in the development of such a society. The World Bank has developed so many similar initiatives to help move the nations of this world in such a direction.”

For more information on the World Bank’s activities in Armenia, please visit: www.worldbank.org.am
For more information about the American University of Armenia, please visit: www.aua.am

YP Orange Country, Armenian Assembly, UC Irvine & ASA Host Two Congressional Forums in California

Rep. Ed Royce (center) pictured with Assembly Western Region Director Yeghig Keshishian, UCI ASA Board Members and AGBU Young Professionals of OC Board Members

AGBU Young Professionals of Orange County, the Armenian Assembly of America, the University of California, Irvine and the Armenian Students’ Association held two separate Congressional forums last month in Fresno (Central Valley) and Irvine (Orange County). The forums, which featured Representatives Ed Royce (R-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), both members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and long-time supporters of U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, offered a unique opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues.

More information on the Armenian Assembly website here.

Armenia News Bulletin 03-27-09

Click here to download the PDF (164KB) of the latest AGBU Armenia News Bulletin.

Armenia News Bulletin 03-25-09

Click here to download the PDF (140KB) of the latest AGBU Armenia News Bulletin.

Margaret Ajemian Anhert, Author of “The Knock at the Door,” Attends Paris Book Reading

Via the UGAB Europe blog we learn about the recent Paris book reading by author Margaret Ajemian Anhert:

On March 13, 2009, AGBU hosted Margaret Ajemian Anhert at the AGBU Paris Alex Manoogian Cultural Center for a conference – debate and book reading of The Knock at the Door, A Journey through the Darkness of the Armenian Genocide.

After welcoming the audience and the author, Alexis Govicyan, AGBU Europe Chairman, added “We have the great honor to host Margaret Ajemian Anhert here in Paris for her book reading. She has been on a personal mission since April 24 200, when her book was released, relating the Armenian tragedy through her mother’s voice all over the world. This book tells us not only her mother’s terrifying experiences during the Armenian Genocide in 1915, but also the strength of the loving relationship between mother and daughter.”

For the complete article, please visit here.

Armenia News Bulletin 03-23-09

Click here to download the PDF (106KB) of the latest AGBU Armenia News Bulletin.

Interschool Chess Championship in Armenia Completes Round 2

A team of young chess players receive an award at the completion of round 2.

For the second consecutive year, AGBU supported the Republican Interschool Chess Championship. The competition is jointly organized by the Republic of Armenia’s Chess Federation, Education and Science Ministry and AGBU.

The main goal of the tournament is to support the development of chess in Armenia, foster new talent and help maintain Armenia’s leading position in the world chess community. About 700 schools from across Armenia and Karabakh compete for the championship title and AGBU awards medals and personal computers to the winning teams.

The third phase of the chess competition started on March 14 and will conclude on March 27. The final championship match will take place in May in Shoushi, Karabakh.

Saroyan Centennial Marked in Beirut by AYA Antranik Cultural Assoc.

Hagop Atamian

On November 30, 2008, AGBU’s Latakia Chapter Chairman Hagop Atamian, a writer who has had a passion for William Saroyan and his literature for the past 30 years, was invited to Beirut especially for the William Saroyan centennial program, held before a full house at the AGBU Demirdjian Center in Beirut, Lebanon.

(Left to right) Armen Eurneshlian, member of AGBU-AYA Antranik Cultural Association; Garo Djeghelian, AYA Lebanon Chair and Vice Chairman, AGBU District Committee of Lebanon; Hagop Atamian

Armen Eurneshlian gave opening remarks on behalf of the organizing committee and then invited Atamian to share his and others’ (Kurken Mahari, Garbis Sourienian, Vahakn Davtian) memories of Saroyan and analysis of his literature.

(2nd-4th from left) Armen Eurneshlian, Rosetta Alemian and Hagop Atamian with friends and AGBU members

Armenia News Bulletin 03-20-09

Click here to download the PDF (106KB) of the latest AGBU Armenia News Bulletin.