Transition, Tribute, and Togetherness
The AGBU 93rd General Assembly in New York makes living history
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August 02, 2008
AGBU-UN Group Raises Awareness & Funds for Youth Career Trail Program in Armenia
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Members of the AGBU-UN SIG Group with Consuelo Vidal. From left to right: Michael Yetemian, Yelena Ambartsumian, Iveta Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos, Viktoria Grigorian, Consuelo Vidal, Kim Yacoubian, Emma Asatoorian, and Yelena Nersesyan. (AGBU UN-SIG members not in the photo: Paul Kayaian & Isabel Ohanian). -
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Armenian Ambassador Martirosyan delivers his address to guests at the benefit reception. -
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Guests enjoy the specially prepared video presentation, which featured interviews with past Youth Career Trail Project interns.
Watch a Video Report of the UNDP Youth Career Trail Project fundraiser HERE (7:37)
Working in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), The AGBU-United Nations Special Interest Group hosted its first benefit reception on July 24, 2008 at the UN headquarters in New York. The reception raised funds for the UNDP Youth Career Trail Project, which seeks to mitigate youth unemployment in Armenia by partnering recent college graduates with leading host organizations through a six-month paid internship program. More than one hundred guests, including AGBU and UN dignitaries, attended the reception.
The benefit reception included remarks by His Excellency Armen Martirosyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, Arda Haratunian, Member of AGBU Central Board of Directors, and Consuelo Vidal, UNDP Resident Representative to Armenia, as well as a video presentation featuring interviews with recent Youth Career Trail project interns. Hors d'oeuvres and live jazz music also accompanied the evening.
Although uninterrupted economic growth has been documented in Armenia since 1994, economic recovery has not resulted in a real expansion for employment so unemployment is one of Armenia's key social and economic problems. Young people are especially affected by this trend, with youth unemployment in Armenia reaching a critical level of almost 50%.
Within the framework of the UN Global Compact initiative, the Youth Career Trail Project is a joint effort between UNDP, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations, such as AGBU, to alleviate youth unemployment rates in Armenia. Easing the transition from college to the workforce, participants in Yerevan and the outer regions earn valuable on-the-job experience relevant to their education.
Participants in the Youth Career Trail Project also refine necessary career skills through the program's capacity-building seminars. In addition to partaking in a six-month paid internship, participants attend seminars which offer help in presentation skills and interviewing, as well as guidance in writing an effective résumé. Host companies are encouraged to hire successful candidates upon completion of the internship period, and over 50% of the first Youth Career Trail class has found long-term employment.
The AGBU-UN Special Interest Group is proud to help sponsor the third class of interns. Kim Yacoubian, AGBU's Main Representative to the UN, stated, "After nearly a year, our work has culminated in this evening, the first of many initiatives to come, bringing us together to support the next group of interns this coming August." AGBU-UN SIG's benefit reception raised $6,000, which will cover the internship stipends of ten upcoming Youth Career Trail Project participants.
To make a donation or for general inquiries, please visit agbu.org/un. To view photos from the event, visit flickr.com/agbu, and to watch the video broadcast at the event, which features interviews with past Youth Career Trail project beneficiaries, visit AGBU's YouTube channel, youtube.com/agbuvideo.
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