InternationalYerevan Summer Intern Program successfully wraps up third season
Published: Thursday September 03, 2009
2009 AGBU Yerevan Summer Intern Program participants visit the Sardarabad monument in Armenia.
New York - From June 27 to August 1, 25 interns from Canada, Israel, Lebanon, Russia, Syria and the United States were on Armenian soil for month-long internships with the AGBU Yerevan Summer Intern Program (YSIP).
For three years now, YSIP has been a venue that connects diasporan Armenian college students with their cultural heritage while providing them with hands-on work experience and a program of cultural, social, and professional activities. Participants were encouraged to interact with their peers in Armenia and develop a deeper understanding of their background in an everyday setting.
Student internships this summer were comprised of positions at a number of leading institutions and organizations in Yerevan: Academy for Educational Development, American Bar Association/CEELI, Armenbrok Company, Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS), AUA Public Health Research Center, Deem Communications, The Future is Yours NGO, Golden Apricot International Film Festival, HSBC Bank America, Karagheusian Children's Clinic, Medical University Hospital, Ministry of Diaspora, the Republic of Armenia's Ombudsman's Office, Ter Tajatian Law Firm, and the United Nations' Yerevan Office.
In addition to their work and social experiences, interns participated in a number of educational and cultural events. They attended Armenian language, history and folk dance classes, and visited historical monuments throughout Armenia and Karabakh. One of the many highlights was their visit to Karabakh, where YSIP participants met with Karabakh Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulyan and discussed the diaspora's role in Armenia and Karabakh.
Another memorable event took place when interns were welcomed at the AGBU Antranik Scout Camp in the Lori region of Armenia for an unforgettable bonfire event. AGBU Armenian Representation director Ashot Ghazarian spoke to the interns about the organization's long history in Armenia and discussed the projects it initiated and supported during the first Republic, Soviet times and more recently after independence.
The 2009 YSIP interns were full of observations about their valuable summer experience in the ancestral land.
Anna Abalyan from the United States felt a deep connection to the land and its citizens, "The people [of Armenia] are very positive despite the hardships they face. Their hospitality and kindness is heartwarming. Thus far I have loved every minute that I've spent in my homeland. I am extremely happy that I am participating in the YSIP program because I know that this experience will bring me closer to my roots."
Jeffery Berj Aris, also of the United States, found the whole experience transformative, and had this to say only halfway through his experience, "Despite my affinity for all things Armenian, I had a difficult time understanding why a mountain could mean so much to our people. As the plane flew below the clouds, Mount Ararat was in full view, and I stopped talking, I stopped thinking, and I began to absorb everything before my eyes."
"Mount Ararat is symbolic of the Armenian people, and it has been a great reminder of my experiences so far in Armenia," Mr. Aris added. "Living in America my entire life, the very concept of Armenia is almost magical, and I did not have any idea what to expect. The only thing I wanted to bring to Armenia was an open mind, and even though I have been here nearly two weeks, every day seems like a new gift."
Nanor Balabanian, who is originally from Lebanon but studies in the United States, added, "I learned the importance of self-confidence, patience, forgiveness, kindness, perseverance, friendship, respect and pride in Armenian identity."
In addition to visits to historic sites and meetings with leading figures in Armenia and Karabakh, students were treated to Armenian language instruction and cultural workshop. This year's YSIP program administrators were Anna Aghajanian and Aleen Tovmasian.
The 2009 AGBU Yerevan Summer Intern Program was made possible through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Levon Nazarian. Dr. Nazarian is a member of the AGBU Central Board of Directors.
