FOCUS 2009 Set to Land in Chicago This Summer

After much success in New York City for 2007, the highly anticipated biennial AGBU FOCUS weekend is heading west to Chicago, Illinois for 2009.

Plans are already underway and FOCUS invites all young Armenian professionals to join in the celebration, which will take place from July 16-19, 2009 in one of the most dynamic American cities. Hundreds of Armenians are expected to attend from all parts of the globe for a weekend that includes networking & cultural events, a club night and a formal gala celebration.

Looking Back

FOCUS premiered in New York City eight years with the goal of bringing together all AGBU youth program participants and alumni to honor AGBU's 95th anniversary. Former campers, counselors, interns, and athletes joined current Young Professional groups to celebrate the variety of international programs that have made, and continue to make, a difference in the lives of young Armenians everywhere. Pre-event fundraising efforts raised an astonishing $25,000 for various AGBU youth programs, and the success of this event made FOCUS into a biennial affair.

In 2003, FOCUS headed north to Montreal, Canada, to honor AGBU's Generation Next Mentorship Program of Southern California, which partners students from the Glendale area with local Armenian-American mentors. With hundreds in attendance, Montreal was the debut city for the FOCUS on Art fundraising exhibit and auction, which included works by young aspiring artists attending the AGBU Children's Centers in Yerevan, Armenia.

Two years later, FOCUS 2005 landed in South Beach, Florida for a weekend of sold-out events, including an elegant gala at Miami's Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Participants from over 30 international cities paid tribute to the AGBU Scholarship Program, which has provided financial assistance to full-time college students of Armenian descent for over five decades. The weekend raised over $30,000.

In 2007, FOCUS returned to New York City to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the AGBU New York Summer Internship Program (NYSIP). For over two decades, NYSIP has provided college and graduate students the opportunity to gain professional internship experience, participate in cultural, networking and social events with like-minded peers, and live in Manhattan's energetic East Village neighborhood. The record-breaking sum of $85,000 was raised through donations made in honor of Mrs. Rita Balian and her husband, the late Vartkess Balian, who were the founders of the internship initiative.

Moving Forward

FOCUS has become an internationally renowned event that unites Armenians the world over for a professionally, culturally and socially enriching weekend. The FOCUS 2009 weekend is slated to begin with the traditional Thursday-night networking event known as Perspectives. On Friday, FOCUS will welcome hundreds of guests to its always exciting Club Event at a hot venue in the heart of Chicago. Saturday will begin with the ever-popular FOCUS on Art event at noon and continue with the Gala celebration set in one of the city's most elegant venues. FOCUS will conclude on Sunday with a special Brunch.

"We are extremely excited to bring young Armenian professionals from all over the world to meet and reunite in Chicago," said FOCUS co-chair Arda Berberian. "Each and every FOCUS is a landmark occasion, as friendships grow and young Armenians come together and celebrate our sense of community under the umbrella of AGBU."

"With such positive feedback after New York City in 2007, we hope that FOCUS 2009 will only continue to surpass our guests' expectations," co-chair Aline Markarian added.

Participants should mark their calendars for July 16-19. Rooms have been reserved at the Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel and a special rate is available for reservations made only through AGBU beginning April 2.

For up-to-date information, please visit www.agbu.org/focus or email focus@agbu.org.