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INTERNATIONAL

ous to go to France. If someone had told me in my youth to zation, especially in the diaspora. We are present in 31
choose between America and a French-speaking country, I countries in the world, with 102 districts, chapters and
surely would have chosen the French-speaking one. groups of Young Professionals. We reach out to almost
500,000 people. The members number some 22,000. As
I must say that America has been good to me, as a land you know, voluntary organizations are not as popular as
of opportunity. And being an international lawyer, I have they were in the past. Many people do not wish to put
had a very good forum, which still works well. Despite in the time and do not understand that such work pro-
all these years, we keep our roots, the education we re- vides huge personal satisfaction and happiness. We have
ceived, our culture, and we become as international in the active members, passive members, and supporters. We
globalized world as we can. have about 8 different publications around the world.
We have a broad educational program. The organiza-
Q: So, once in the US, you started to involve yourself tion runs schools, among other institutions, and sponsors
in the Armenian diaspora? the American University in Armenia, which we initiated
It must be said that my professional career demands a in the aftermath of Armenia's independence in 1991 in
lot of me, but I have always been interested in public life collaboration with the University of California. We run
since my youth, even in Lebanon; I feel as Lebanese as a large university scholarship program and we operate
Armenian. I am also concerned with matters that concern youth centers, sports centers, etc. We provide a whole
the Lebanese and Lebanon as much as Armenian issues range of services, especially humanitarian, cultural and
and Armenia. Lebanon is my homeland; Armenia is my youth services.
ethnic heritage. On the one hand, all this asks a lot of me, In recent years the fate of the Armenians of Syria has
but on the other hand it is enriching. been our main concern. Some have been relocated, others
have been helped inside Syria. In the country, we ran the
Q: Do you still speak Armenian? largest school, the most important one by the diaspora,
Of course I do. I speak Armenian, Arabic, French and benefiting 1,600 students.
English. Being multilingual has served me well in my
professional and philanthropic career. I believe it is a In Armenia we carry out humanitarian and development
skill all should work to acquire. Armenians are inherently projects. We run soup kitchens and youth centers. We
talented with linguistic abilities and we should leverage have a whole range of community programs for diaspo-
that characteristic. ran youth visiting Armenia, such as internship programs,
musical training schools, camps, etc. We assist a great
Q: And now, in addition to your impressive workload, deal in clergy education. We consider that the Armenian
you are managing this Armenian association for Ar- clergy, since it is a national church, has a somewhat dif-
menians around the world! Could you be so kind to ferent role from the others. We include many scholarships
explain to me what this involves? for long-term clergy education. We work a lot for the pro-
It is the largest Armenian organization. It was established motion of the church and the Christian faith, which makes
in 1906, and still continues its activities worldwide. up the founding of the nation. If not for the church, there
Many people say it is the most important such organi- would never have been the Armenian nation.

12 DIVA - INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT