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FALL //2014 BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA

FallEdition

- Table of Contents - My move to

Armenia did

not mean

in any way

to sacrifice

my career or

standard of

living, in fact it

did quite the

opposite.

— Tania Sahakian

Catching Alum Doing Good __________________________________________________ 3

Then and Now Spotlight _____________________________________________________ 7

Weddings and Babies ________________________________________________________ 8

Experiencing Armenia through AVC _________________________________________ 9

Pathway to Armenia _________________________________________________________ 10

In-Country Alumni Day ______________________________________________________ 11

Staff Corner _________________________________________________________________ 12

The Quiz _____________________________________________________________________ 12

Connect Professionally ______________________________________________________ 13

BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA

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Catching Alumni Doing Good

In January Gabriel Armas-Cardona (AVC ’12) start-ed working in New Delhi, India, to manage the Global Health and Human Rights Database. The database is a free online source for cases from around the world that relate to health and human rights. The purpose of the database is to make health rights judgments universally accessible for NGOs, lawyers, activists and governments seeking to promote the human right to health. They’ve partnered with over 40 civil society organizations to expand the content of the database and to make it a unique and valuable tool.

When Gabriel started, they had no cases from Arme-nia and he wanted to change that. Using his contacts in Armenia, he connected with Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor (HCAV). HCAV identified important Arme-nian cases on health rights, and then they partnered with them to translate the cases for the database. They now have two Armenian cases, translated into English, which is accessible to researchers from around the world. Also, Gabriel provided HCAV with a training on the right to health, which will hopefully improve their ability to protect Armenian citizens’ right to health.

Serda Ozbenian (AVC ’10) recently got the exciting news that she received a prestigious Fulbright Pro-gram Study/Research Grant to conduct non-invasive population surveys of wolves and bears in Armenia. Serda, an alumna of George Mason University, will be working collaboratively with the American University of Armenia's Acopian Center for the Environment and local communities on the project. She is the fifth Birthright Armenia participant to have received a Fulbright and most certainly will not be the last!

From March through December 2015, Serda will leave Takoma Park, Maryland behind to be in the Republic of Armenia to further her studies on bears and wolves. She will continue the work begun on her thesis “Survey of Attitudes Toward, Conflicts With, and Management of Wolves and Bears in Rural Villages in Armenia.” Serda is currently fundraising for necessary equipment and materials related to the project. For anyone inter-ested in learning more, or making a donation to this worthy project, please email Serda serda.ozbenian@gmail.com.

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Marin Preske (AVC ’09) will be running a half marathon as part of the Philadelphia Marathon this November. It will be her first time running competitively and de-cided to do it while representing an organization she really cares for, the Society for Orphaned Armenian Re-lief (SOAR). She runs recreationally but when she dis-covered that SOAR was looking for team runners, she thought it would be the perfect way to do something she’s always wanted to do. Even though she currently lives in Los Angeles, she grew up in Philadelphia, so it’s doubly nice to run a race in her hometown. We wish you the best of luck Marin!

The Hayrenaser Organization is a Los Angeles-based, non-profit organization co-founded by Nelli Martiro-sian (AAA ’07). This summer the Hayrenaser Organi-zation completely rebuilt and enlarged the school of Lernahovit village located in Artsakh’s Kashatagh re-gion. Students from villages of Lernahovit, Spitakajur, Shrvakan and Hak attend the school. The construction included a new roof, windows and doors; the floor and ceiling were renovated with tiles and hanging ceilings, respectively; the walls were replastered and repainted; and electric wiring was added. In addition, boys and girls restrooms and a principal’s office were added. “This school was chosen for renovation to assist in the resettlement effort because of its strategic location in the territory of Kashatagh,” Nelli explains. “Kashatagh links the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, and was lib-erated by our heroes during the Artsakh War.” For more information, please visit hayrenaser.org.

Garine Palandjian (Glendale CC ’05) recently contrib-uted two chapters to the book (Re) Constructing Mem-ory: School Textbooks and the Imagination of the Nation (Williams, James H. (ed), Sense Publishers, 2014). The book examines the shifting portrayal of the nation in school textbooks in 14 countries, Armenia being one, during periods of rapid political, social, and economic change. The authors analyze the uses of history and pedagogy in building, reinforcing and/or redefining the nation and state especially in the light of challenges to its legitimacy. Garine has contributed to Chapter 6 “Pedagogies of Space: (Re)Mapping National Territories, Borders, and Identities in Post-Soviet Textbooks” and Chapter 12 “The ABC’s of Being Armenian: (Re)Turning to the National Identity in Post-Soviet Textbooks” of the book.

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Stay tuned for Traversed, a short documentary about Armenia being directed by two Birthright Armenia alumni, Alex Igidbashian (Bars Media ’13) and Emily Mkrtichian (Bars Media ‘11). Via a Kickstarter cam-paign, the two successfully surpassed their original $14,000 goal to raise $16,133, which allowed them to jump right into production.

The ultimate goal of this film is to paint a portrait of Armenia that most people don’t get to see - a country that is complex, beautiful, and standing at a crossroads of history. Like the other films that they have made in Armenia, Traversed is for an international audience. It will give people around the world a beautiful glimpse into this ancient and modern world that they may nev-er have heard of. The plan is to continue filming in Armenia until the end of 2014, and finalize editing for a release date in March 2015.

Peno Mishoyan (BR ’14) fled Syria in order to build a future in Lebanon and from there decided to come to Armenia, where he would begin to establish his life and career. He volunteered for one month with Birthright Armenia and then followed his pas-sion for design by opening a design agency with his friend, Aramazt Kalayjian, a New York-born design-er/filmmaker and husband of Ani Jilozian (AVC ‘07).

Jarakite Creative Partners, founded in March 2014, is a design intelligence company that focuses on pro-viding clientele with the possibility of realizing their ideas through strategic thinking/planning, interactive/experiential design, print design, film and video, and web/mobile design. Both Aramazt and Peno are active-ly involved in the Birthright Armenia community.“I’m happy to be a part of the Birthright Armenia circle. It has allowed me to connect with several alum and work on different projects – I would be happy to work with more alumni and make their ideas a reality”, said Peno. To see their latest works visit www.jarakite.com.

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Mischa Badasyan (WRC ’13) is an independent artist, born in Russia and based in Germany, who launched a new project called “SAVE THE DATE” in September. Mis-cha has been featured through multiple media outlets in different parts of the world, specifically in Europe. Mischa will explore ‘non-places’ which are places that create loneliness. The term ‘non-places’ comes from a theory by the French philosopher, Marc Auge. “The art-work will explore the contemporary phenomenon of being with so many people, physically or sexually, and yet feeling alone”, said Priscilla Frank, a writer for The Huffington Post Arts and Culture column.

Click here to read the full article by The Huffington Post.

Click here to visit Mischa Badasyan’s website.

On March 8, 2014, Nora Kayserian (AVC ‘11) founded SheFighter Armenia -- a small business that empowers women and girls through self-defense. SheFighter class-es take on a holistic approach by incorporating boxing, fitness, verbal and physical self-defense.

SheFighter is the first self-defense studio for women designed to empower women both physically and phys-iologically through self-defense training. Classes are tai-lored specially for women and girls to meet their expec-tations and fitness goals in this modern age. Learning SheFigher’s self-defense techniques will not only give women the opportunity to defend themselves in diffi-cult situations, but will also build up their self-esteem.

You can learn more by visiting the SheFighter website and by following SheFighter Armenia on Facebook.

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I find it harder and harder to express myself from an out-sider’s perspective when it comes to Armenia. I guess my first time here was not all that long ago, visiting with family in 2004, but during my time with Birthright the following year, I really got my bearings in Hayastan.

My experience with Birthright Armenia helped in mak-ing Armenia part of my life. Not only have I been back six times since, but my seventh time - a year ago now - I made the move.

So I feel quite confident in thinking of myself as a Ye-revantsi, since Armenia is very much and undeniably a part of my life. I also feel that I am in a unique posi-tion to simultaneously understand the dilemmas and challenges of what it means to be an Armenian in the Diaspora and what it is like to live in Armenia itself as a local thus becoming a connector between the two.

In the past year I have been working two jobs that I can only consider to be dream jobs for me, both in fields about which I am passionate, leading toward the ca-reer path on which I had hoped to end up. My move to Armenia did not mean in any way to sacrifice my career or standard of living, in fact it did quite the op-posite. Not only that, but both jobs deal with today’s Armenia on tomorrow’s terms. It’s no secret that this country faces many challenges.

THEN &NOW

My work at Counterpart International has to do with strengthening civil society, and promoting the rule of law, democracy and human rights. And working at the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies allows me to do my part in putting the steering wheel in the hands of the next generation of Armenia’s programmers, an-imators, musicians, robotics experts, and creative ge-niuses of other varieties.

They are both environments that offer me opportu-nities to feel really encouraged about the future of Armenia.

And I couldn’t have done it without Birthright Armenia. This organization allowed me to connect with Arme-nia in a way that nothing else could have, and it also helped put me on the path that eventually led me to move here.

Birthright Armenia is one of those unique organiza-tions that is opening the lines of communication and helping bridge the gap between the Diaspora and Ar-menia. The key to any relationship is communication, in order to understand what each entity needs. It’s time to invest in organizations that are helping bridge this gap for a healthier future both in the Diaspora and in Armenia itself.

by Tania Sahakian (AAA ‘05)

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Karen and Anaïs Kadian (ATP ’05) had a baby boy, Alec Kadian, who was born on January 4th in Nepean, Canada.

Vahe and Anouch (Sarafian) Chah-benderian (DAC ’05) had a baby girl, Aida Chahbenderian, who was born on June 4th in Montreuil, France.

Stepan and Nelli (Martirosyan) Sargsyan (AAA ’07) had a baby girl, Shushi Sargsyan, who was born on July 17th in Los Angeles, California.

&Weddings

Babies

Talar Hovnanian (AAA ’07) and Mark Berberian (AAA ’07) got mar-ried on July 28, 2014 in Chicago, Illi-nois. Shnorhavor Talar and Mark!

Svetlana Arakelyan (AVC ’07) mar-ried Nicholas Korzeniowski on April 26, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Congrat-ulations to the happy newlyweds!

Victoria Davydova (AVC ’12) and Ashot Harutyunyan got married on August 13, 2014, in St. Pe-tersburg, Russia. Поздравляем новобрачных!

Hailing from Italy, Araks Antanesian (AVC ’14) wanted to do more on this vacation than just relax in a beautiful and

exciting environment with her fi-ancé Frédéric. She was really keen that they do some rewarding work this time. They got to do just that with AVC. For two weeks, Araks and Frédéric, volunteered together at Orran, working with children, playing games and teaching dance classes. These two lovebirds got the chance to come to a stunning country and enjoy their vacation time making a difference in Armenia together!

It doesn’t matter if you are not Armenian, are traveling alone or with your significant other, AVC will find you the perfect volunteer placement tailored directly to your skills and in-terests. Tell your friends to find out more about AVC’s Volunteer Corps program today!

Seda Vardanyan (AVC ’14), 52, had never been to Armenia. Coming of age in London, she dreamed of traveling to this country she al-ways felt connected to and being more than just a simple tourist. She wanted to come to Armenia to do something positive, something constructive. She achieved her dream with AVC. During her time in Armenia, Seda put her exten-sive background in early childhood education and love of children to excellent use working with Tsiatsan, a center dedicated to strengthening and bettering the lives of local chil-dren.

Whether it’s their first time or their 50th time in Armenia, AVC makes sure that volunteers have the experience of a lifetime here. Spread the word about AVC’s Professional Corps program to your parents and family members who have years of experience and wis-dom and are just waiting for a chance to share it with the people of Armenia!

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REGISTRATION IS OPEN:

AVC’s Summer Voluntourism

journey, Southern Discovery

2015 is set for June 19 to 30.

Experiencing Armeniathrough AVC

Follow us on Facebook for all the latest on AVC Volunteer Corps, Professional Corps and Voluntourism!

2015 will be a H-U-G-E year for Armenia, and it’s not too soon to start planning! Click here to register now; space is limited.

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Arpa Vartanian (AYF ‘12), from An-nandale, Virginia, arrived in Armenia on September 5th through the Path-way to Armenia program. He recently finished his bachelors in economics at

George Mason University and would like to find work having to do with economic research or promoting government transparency and advocate for civil and human rights.

PATHWAY to ARMENIA

Sirarpi Grigoryan (BR ’14), from Rostov, Russia, recently finished her volunteer ser-vice and decided to extend her stay in Ar-menia to find work. She holds a master’s de-gree in Economics and Management from

Donetsk National University. Through the Pathway to Armenia program Sirarpi was able to have a place to live while looking for work.

Karine Vann (AVC ’13), from Fairfax, Virgin-ia, arrived in Armenia in July through the Pathway to Armenia program. Karine is currently looking for work where she can use her creative writing and teaching skills. She

received a masters in Musicology from the Univer-sity of Oxford and has a background in research, teaching, and music.

In-Country Alumni Day

On Sunday, July 20th was a day that brought back many memo-ries for the in-country alumni. Around 30

alumni came together, some with family, for an excursion of their own, taking them back to the days when they were Birthright volun-teers. The group got on the bus and headed to Ashtaraki Dzor - Arevik Recreational Area, where they spent the day getting to know each other better through engaging activities, discussions, and games, while eat-ing some delicious khorovadz. The discussions ranged from talking about different projects the in-coun-try alumni can work on to how Birth-

right can be more involved in their lives in Armenia. They were able to talk about the challenges and suc-cesses that in-country alumni have had over the past 10 years. These discussions helped everyone ex-change thoughts and opinions which then lead to many great ideas – one of them being the Mentorship Pro-gram, which is soon to be launched.

The Mentorship Program gives BR volunteers, who are seriously con-sidering working in Armenia, the opportunity to have an in-coun-try alumni mentor. The program is structured to provide anoth-er level of valuable support for volunteers when it comes to dealing

with day-to-day living and working in Armenia. This could range from professional coaching, assistance with job interviews, advice on start-ing a business, possible internship placement assistance, advice on dual citizenship, and so much more.

The in-country alumni day was the first of many and will bring many more great ideas and projects, like the Mentorship Program, to life. Looking forward to the next one! Click here to watch the video high-lights of the day.

Click here to find out more about the Pathway to Armenia program.

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Staff Corner

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Ruzanna Sargsyan joined Birthright Armenia as the Jobsite Placement Specialist in August 2014. She has a Master’s Degree in English and Bachelor’s Degree in Po-litical Science from Yerevan State Linguistic University. As a former European Volunteer Service (EVS) volunteer who lived in Prague, Czech Republic, for 11 months, she values volunteering and intercultural communication and exchange. She loves travelling, tasty food, good an-imation, and interesting conversations.

Gohar Khachatryan rejoined Birthright Armenia as Homestay and Language Coordinator in September 2014. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Yerevan State University of Economics and a Mas-ter’s Degree in Political Science and International Affairs from the American University of Armenia. From election monitoring to translating TED talks and mentoring high risk youth, Gohar believes in putting her energy and enthusiasm into creating a positive change in Armenia. Gohar is passionate about new experiences, outdoor adventures and physical activities.

The Quiz1. How many days does it take to legally register a

business in Armenia? a. 2 days b. 8 days c. 15 days d. 20 days

2. How much does it cost to apply for Armenian Citizenship? a. no charge b. 1000 dram ($2.50) c. 50,000 dram ($125) d. 140,000 dram ($350)

3. Getting Dual Citizenship in Armenia allows you which rights? a. Only to purchase land b. Only to enter the country without a visa c. The same rights as ordinary citizens except for voting right d. All the same rights, duties, and responsibili-ties as ordinary citizens

As always, e-mail all answers to info@birthrightar-menia.am and the winner will earn a $25 gift certificate for Amazon.com.

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Interested In Some Birthright Armenia Paraphernalia?

Interested in a sweatshirt or a cap with the Birthright Armenia logo? Simply visit our shop at cafepress.com and see the available products. This is a good way to showcase your pride.

CONNECT PROFESSIONALLY ON

Accelerate your career by joining our professional networking community on LinkedIn. Connecting with alum can help you discover business opportunities, land exciting jobs, distrib-ute job listings, and get introduced to inside connections, all through your affiliation to Birth-right Armenia and fellow Depi Haykers. Our alumni base, which now represents 32 different

countries across the world, is well connected and you may be surprised by who they know.

STAY WITH US!