Birthright Armenia

“TO SEE A NATION’S FUTURE, LOOK TO ITS YOUTH” these are the words of KAREKIN NZHDEH which explain why Birthright Armenia, a unique program to expose our future young leaders of the Diaspora to Armenia, was created.

I wish to explain the WHO, WHAT, HOW and WHY of BRA since it is the youngest organization represented today and thus is probably unfamiliar to most of you.

WHO ARE WE:

Though only founded 3 years ago, its founders represent decades of experience in running youth programs in Armenia. I was on the board of the LCO for over 15 years, a wonderful organization based in France which sends youth to rural villages through Armenia (and historic Armenia) to experience rural life and work side by side with villagers to rebuild their infrastructure. Tom Samuelian, another founder, who amongst his many accomplishments, help create the AVC.

WHAT ARE WE:

We are an organization that helps Diasporan youth experience Armenia through extended public service internships. Already, in our short history, over 250 volunteers have gone through BRA.

That is nothing new, but what is truly unique is that we did not re-create the wheel, but we actually sponsor over 20 EXISTING international organizations and local NGO offering youth experiences in Armenia – helping them ENRICH AND EXPAND their programs, by organizing international RECRUITMENT events, and by offering FREE SERVICES to their volunteers to ensure the MAXIMUM POSITIVE IMPACT of each participant.

Each sponsored organization can chose from an array of free services BRA offers, including JOB placement, arranging HOUSING, LANGUAGE training, EXCURSIONS to historic and cultural sites and a LECTURE series and NETWORKING EVENTS which exposes the volunteers to CURRENT ISSUES relevant to today’s youth.

And how we INCENTIVIZE our youth to spend a few months to a year in Armenia is that we offer TRAVEL STIPENDS to offset most if not all the costs of their round trip airfare.

The HOW of how one participates is easy –
- If you live outside Armenia
- Are at least 20% Armenian
- Age between 20 and 32 and
- Are willing to live and work in Armenia for no less than 2 months,
Then you qualify for all our services, including a travel stipend.
And through AVC we can offer this experience all year round, allowing volunteers to start and end when they wish.

They WHY Birthright created and WHY NOW is what I will speak of for the balance of my time. But I first need to take a step back.

In my youth the genocide was the focal point that kept us engaged.

But Genocide recognition is the responsibility of my father’s generation and mine, which is the last generation who heard the stories first hand from those who lived through genocide. There is no doubt in my mind that in my life time genocide recognition and all that it entails will be addressed. But for the current generation of our youth, the genocide is a sad historical fact but not enough to keep them engaged.

They demand more if we wish them to CHOSE to live their lives as Armenians within this Diaspora.

And now we have the BEST REASON of all for them to MAINTAIN THEIR ARMENIAN IDENTITY and not SUCCUMB TO ASSIMILATION: WE HAVE A FREE AND INDPENDENT HOMELAND.

But then why have we seen the number of participants participating in each of the non-touristic programs in Armenia dropping within years after independence. I saw it time and time again. The LCO was sending 60 volunteers a year immediately post earthquake and impendence but today struggles to bring a dozen or so each summer. Armenia Assembly of America and Armenia Youth Foundation for years had no more than 10 interns each summer.

In my last years leading LCO, I have polled hundreds of youth in their 20’s and found one shocking fact – When asked the question: “DO you feel that to be a good Armenian, you need to have a tie to the Homeland?” I was shocked to get almost 100% of them to answer “NO”!! They all tell me that visiting once as a tourist is important, but beyond that they do not feel they need to stay connected.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?

Well, one is a positive reflection of our Diaspora – over the last 85 years we have created throughout the world a very vibrant diasporan community with organizations and programs that our youth can experience from summer camps to internships during college and get their FILL OF BEING ARMENIAN.

But the other factor is that Armenia today is not seen as a place where our disaporan youth think they BELONG.

My generation had the earthquake relief and the critical needs immediately post independence that gave us a sense of being needed but now Armenia seems to be on its own road to its future and our diasporan youth does not see how they belong.

THE THOUGHT THAT THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP OF OUR DIASPORAN COULD BE DISCONNECTED TO THE HOMELAND SHOULD BE FRIGHTENING both for Armenia and also our diasporan.

BIRTHRIGHT IS AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THIS GROWING DISCONNET – to make today’s diasporan youth feel they can be a part of this country – live here and work here whether it is for 2 months or a year and see this country is as much theirs as those born here. To then return home and continue to care about what is going on in Armenia and to seek ways to benefit Armenia as you develop professional abroad.

Birthright Armenia does have a longer term goal of wanting to encourage repatriation but for now helping our youth, who are the future leaders of our Disaporan community, feel a true connection with the Homeland is our priority.

Every part of the experience Birthright promotes focuses on IMMERSION, to making our Diasporan youth feel at home here - from placing volunteers in host families so they feel what day to day like is like, to language training so they can socialize with local youth.

Every Armenian’s first visit to Armenia as a tourist is memorable and moving but our goal to go beyond that to make young Diasporans feel like this is THEIR COUNTRY and to make them FEEL THEY BELONG with all that entails - both in terms of CARING about what is HAPPENING here and what CAN BE DONE to improve its future.

Birthright, through its commitment to bring together volunteers from every corner of the globe, also helps to address a growing concern w e have seen at lease in the US – that today’s youth, THROUGH BORN IN THE GLOBAL AGE, have a NARROW VISION of what is means to be Armenian.

They need to be exposed to understanding that the characteristics of an Armenian varies depending on what corner of the globe you were born – in America we think our Western Armenian is the right Armenian, our Middle eastern tinged music and found is what truly Armenia. American youth are shocked by the differences they face when they arrive here, and have difficulty understanding that our version of Armenian, has strong Middle Eastern influences. They need to understand there is not such thing as the RIGHT way to be Armenian.

We need to each our youth tolerance and understanding of the diversity of our international community so we can truly build the global bridges that we give the allow the power and potential of our people around the world to have its maximum impact.

Birthright tries to teach our Diasporan youth to be recognitize their similarities, but also to respect and even relish their differences.

Birthright is committed to teaching today’s Diasporan youth that they are the luckiest generation of all since they are the first generation that are witnessing the re-birth of our nation and with this comes and obligation and that is what Birthright is committed to giving them a strong bond with the Homeland as they prepare to lead us through the 21st century.