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June 11, 2009
Gerard Tufenkjian Appointed to Head AGBU Lebanon
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Gerard Tufenkjian, the new chair of AGBU District Committee of Lebanon.
The Armenian General Benevolent Union's (AGBU) Central Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Gerard Tufenkjian as chair of the AGBU District Committee of Lebanon. Tufenkjian will replace outgoing chair, Avedis Demirdjian, who served for many years as the head of AGBU Lebanon and continues to be one of the organization's most generous benefactors. AGBU Lebanon oversees the activities of one of the most influential districts of the world's largest Armenian non-profit organization.
Tufenkjian is a prominent Lebanese businessman and a lifetime member of AGBU. He is an alumnus of AGBU's Hovagimian-Manoogian School in Lebanon and is active in numerous Lebanese organizations. As chair, he will manage AGBU Lebanon's vast array of programs, institutions and community groups, which includes the state-of-the-art AGBU Demirdjian Community Center, three high-achieving Armenian day schools (Tarouhy-Hovagimian Middle & Secondary School, Levon Nazarian Elementary School and Boghos Garmirian Elementary School), two medical dispensaries, and a network of scout, athletic, youth groups and the Vahram Papazian Theatre Group which fall under the umbrella of AGBU's Armenian Youth Association (AYA).
Established in 1910, AGBU Lebanon has been a major hub of the Armenian diaspora and a breeding ground for future leaders of the Armenian community worldwide, including AGBU's current president, Berge Setrakian, who began his involvement in Armenian affairs through AGBU Lebanon's AYA division.
"AGBU Lebanon has always played a central role in both the global Armenian community and Lebanese society. It continues to reach out and touch the lives of all Lebanese, while remaining committed to AGBU's mission to preserve and promote the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs. AGBU Lebanon demonstrates that in the global village the strength of any community lies in its ability to step fearlessly into the future with a strong sense of its heritage," Setrakian said. "Tufenkjian will play a role in ensuring that AGBU Lebanon continues to innovate and respond to the needs of the next generation."
AGBU Lebanon has chapters in Amanos, Antelias, Beirut, Sin El-Fil, Tripoli and Zahlé, and awards scholarships to dozens of students in Lebanon. Its athletic program, administered by AYA, is renowned throughout the Arab world and its AGBU-Antranik Girls team clinched the Lebanese championship for the seventh consecutive year last month and, by doing so, set a record in Lebanese sports history. The team has also won the Arab Women's Basketball Championship title numerous times. The AGBU Demirdjian Center is a major hub of community activities for Armenians and non-Armenians alike in the northeastern suburbs of Beirut. The Center hosts well-attended classes, sporting events, cultural activities and a modern health club facility.
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