Rekindling the flames of faith

Young delegates of the first Pan-Diaspora Youth Conference reflect on their spiritual journey to Lebanon

by Anna Margaryan

Published: Saturday October 18, 2008

Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian in the “St. Dertad and St. Ashkhen” Chapel after the ACYA meeting.

La Crescenta, Calif. - The Dikran and Zarouhie Der Ghazarian Assembly Hall of the Western Prelacy is humming with the voices of 20 or so young parishioners as they converse among themselves on this overcast autumn day.

The atmosphere of camaraderie is unmistakable, particularly among the eight young Armenian-Americans whose lives have been forever entwined by the spiritual journey they shared on their recent visit to Bikfaya, Lebanon, for the first annual Pan-Diaspora Youth Conference, organized by the Catholicosate of Cilicia's Youth Department.

The three-day conference, titled "The Armenian Youth Faces the Challenges of the 21st Century," took place during August 14-16, when 100 youths converged at St. Mary's Monastery in Bikfaya. They represented numerous diaspora communities including the Eastern and Western Prelacies of North America, Turkey, Cyprus, Kuwait, Iran, Syria, the Gulf states, and Lebanon.

The conference was organized within the context of His Holiness Aram I's declaration of 2009 as "The Year of the Christian Armenian Youth." The designation is more than symbolic, as it entails much responsibility on the part of Armenian youths, who must wear the crown with pride through their faith and good works.

The Western Prelacy of North America sent eight delegates to the international conference: Nanor Toujian, Ani Dervishian, Mary Hakopian, Liza Sarkis, Talin Zomdjian, Manuk Chulyan, Garo Kilejian, and Rita Dukmejian, along with their pastor, Rev. Hayk Barthev.

To say that these youths are deeply invested in their faith would be an understatement, for their commitment is evidenced by the emotion in their voices and the fire in their eyes when they speak about their devotion to Christ. Their faith was even further intensified and renewed by their experiences at the conference.

"It was such a great spiritual experience just stepping inside the church and hearing the young reverend fathers sing. My faith grew within that week," says Rita Dukmejian, a member of the Armenian Church Youth Association (ACYA).

Dukmejian's sentiments are echoed by Mary Hakopian, who is left nearly speechless by the profound intensity of the spiritual transformation she underwent while in Bikfaya.

Today the presentation consists of a 20-minute video highlighting significant moments from the conference as well as a question-and-answer session with the audience, during which a number of thought-provoking and debate-inducing issues were raised.

One audience member opens the discussion period by asking a question that creates some volleying between the delegates and another audience member.

The question is: "What was the most prevalent topic discussed by the delegates [at the conference]?"

ACYA member Ani Dervishian answers: "I thought the most important topic was, where do the Armenian church and Christianity meet? According to some delegates at the conference, we are Armenian first, which of course is true because we are very much Armenian. They believe that Christianity and Armenia go hand in hand. My belief is, first Christ and then everything else. It saddens my heart that more people don't consider Christ first like I do."

A passionate audience member, who chooses to remain anonymous, takes issue with part of Dervishian's comments, standing and voicing his opinion to the group. He says, "I think that our Christian life and our worldly lives should be kept separate. If we are able to do this as Armenian youths, as a nation, we will ensure a better future."

The man also expresses his pride in the young Armenians sitting before him, who displayed such a "deep desire and need for faith," he says. "I believe that it's very important to focus on our Christian roots," he adds.

The audience brings other valid questions to the fore, such as "What were some of the action items that resulted from the conference?" and "Did you gain new insights and ideas by talking with other youths that we can use here?"

Talin Zomdjian tackles the first question. "This first conference was not for problem-solving," she says. "We were there to hear and be heard. The needs we have here aren't the same as the needs in Iran, so there was not one problem that applied to everyone."

As to whether anything new and potentially viable was learned through interaction with delegates from around the globe, it appears that the delegation from the Western Prelacy has left quite an impression on the participants at the conference.

"The other youths were surprised at how much our ACYA has done and accomplished here," says ACYA member Mary Hakopian.

But while the youths from Los Angeles may have captured the spotlight at the conference with their action-driven involvement in the ACYA, their international peers in turn have left a lasting imprint on the lives of these young Armenian-Americans.

"Every Armenian youth that was there had some kind of driving force behind their presence. They all left an impression on me," says ACYA member Garo Kilejian.

Today the ACYA of the Western Prelacy continues to serve Armenian youths through the promotion of education, worship, service, and faith in Christ.

Let the talks begin

According to the delegates, another topic that ruffled a few feathers at the conference and stirred up much controversy was the relationship between technology, particularly the Internet, and the Armenian youth.

While delegates from technologically less-advanced countries appear to mistrust the Internet and its impact on Christian youths, it seems that the delegates from Los Angeles, who have grown up surrounded with technology, are more adept at utilizing the Internet as a unifying medium of communication between Armenian youths separated by geography.

The three days of the conference were replete with lectures by Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, president of Haigazian University; Dr. Joe Pirri, lecturer at Webster University in Geneva; historian Garo Hovhannesian; and Very Rev. Fr. Krikor Chifdjian, who took up a range of subjects centered around the complex and interdependent relationship between the Armenian church, technology, and Armenian youths.