Young Professionals of Buenos Aires Concludes Their Successful "What Did I Do For Armenia?" Lecture Series

On November 27, 2009, the AGBU Young Professionals of Buenos Aires (YP Buenos Aires) closed out the year by hosting their final in a series of four highly successful talks titled "What Did I Do For Armenia?." All events were organized as a forum for young Armenians to speak about, and discuss as a group, their experiences volunteering in Armenia. The four-part lecture and discussion series started in May, and during each event different volunteers gathered to share stories and discuss topics of relevance to young Armenians. While three of the events were set up as more formal panel discussions, one of the events was organized more informally as a social gathering, where young professionals came together to share stories, play games, and get to know one another.

The lectures and gatherings were appealing because they were directly related to the experiences that young professionals had in Armenia. Besides gaining personal and professional growth, individuals learned a great deal about Armenia’s current status, its people and its culture. Many young professionals were eager to volunteer their time and get involved in the lecture series to share their experiences and thoughts. Interaction between the audience and the speakers was informal, seamless, and very interactive. Moreover, there was an overall incentive for the young people attending each of the discussions to go out and do something similar to their peers.

The November 27 event included a panel of volunteers, Anabela Avedisian, Geraldine Guner Eretzian, Dalila Eujanian, and Juan Baptist Karagueuzian, all of whom participated in the Birthright Armenia program. Avedisian traveled to Yerevan in October 2008 for two months to work as a volunteer English teacher in the local schools. She discussed the vastly different teaching model used in Armenia in comparison to the model used in Argentina and elsewhere around the world. Despite differences and some disadvantages to the system applied in the Yerevan schools, Avedisian emphasized the remarkable capacity and willingness to learn by the children at the local schools.

Industrial engineer Geraldine Eretzian, who stayed in Gyumri for two months, spoke about his experience working with local Armenians at Kevork & Vahagn Textile Factory and Shirak Competitiveness Center, as well as offering specialized classes in graphic design. Eretzian spent an extra month in Yeravan, settling in at the Arti Garassi Furniture Factory, and initiating a management quality project.

The third speaker was Dalila Eujanian, who volunteered in Armenia in 2008. She worked in the phonoaudiology departments at the Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic and Erebouni Hospital, both located in Yerevan. She spoke at great length about patient care in the hospitals and the patient-doctor relationship.

The fourth and final speaker was Juan Baptist Karagueuzian, a graduate student in history. In the summer of 2009, he volunteered for Birthright Armenia and the Armenian Volunteers Corps. He spent his time at the Children’s Home in Gyumri. During his presentation, he discussed the needs of the children in Armenia and the great impact that volunteering has on the lives of individuals in places like Armenia.

The unique Armenia series, organized by YP Buenos Aires, was well received by Argentine-Armenian young professionals. All the featured panelists communicated their great enthusiasm for volunteerism and expressed a deep gratitude for having the opportunity to spend time in Armenia. The organizers hope that the positive feedback they received from the events will lead to similar events in the near future.