Historic Opportunity for Armenians to Unite and Together
Enable Armenia’s Future. This weekend, the Armenian General Benevolent Union
(AGBU), one of the oldest non-profit organizations in the U.S. and the world’s
largest Armenian organization, celebrates its 110th anniversary in New York
City. Underscoring this milestone is the extraordinary opportunity to reshape
the future of Armenia, and to reflect on how every one of us can contribute
toward a stronger Armenia tomorrow.
Over the years, AGBU, an organization established to
address the challenges facing Armenians both in in the homeland and the
Diaspora, has fostered socioeconomic initiatives and addressed educational,
cultural and humanitarian needs worldwide. We congratulate AGBU on its unparalleled
role in preserving the Armenian identity throughout a vast network of Diasporan
communities.
Forcibly displaced from their ancestral homeland and
dispersed, Armenians living across the world have made major contributions
toward advancing their adoptive countries. Long ago, we learned to adapt to our
host countries, to be loyal citizens, even as we maintain our common historic
identity, language, and, through the leadership of the Armenian Church, our
Christian faith.
We salute the longstanding contributions of all those
individuals and organizations, such as the Armenian Missionary Association, the
Armenian Relief Society, the Gulbenkian Foundation and the many others, who
have contributed to sustaining the Diaspora through charitable projects.
We also recognize the enormous contributions made toward
Armenia’s development since its independence by philanthropists Kirk Kerkorian
and AGBU’s Louise Manoogian Simone, among others. Their pioneering work since
the early 1990s has helped to build vital institutions and infrastructure.
A quarter century after gaining its independence from the
former Soviet Union, the state of the young Republic of Armenia remains
vulnerable, as does the state of the Armenian identity globally. Today, we
stand at a historic crossroads. While we are certainly aware of our many
challenges, we equally recognize the unprecedented opportunity ahead.
An opportunity for the Armenian world to pivot toward a
future of prosperity, to transform the post-Soviet Armenian Republic into a
vibrant, modern, secure, peaceful and progressive homeland for a global nation.
An opportunity for Armenians not only to have survived
Genocide, but to reconstitute and thrive.
An opportunity for Armenia to secure long-lasting social
and economic improvement, for our citizens today as well as for our children
and the future of our global nation.
Moving forward, we must have a much higher level of
sustained commitment from the Armenian community worldwide, whether through
social impact or commercial investment, innovation, expertise or active
involvement. In the long run, we must aspire to bring Armenia to no less than
the same global standards as those of the countries in which many of us in the
Diaspora live.
Beyond individual efforts, we want to instigate an
unprecedented spirit of partnership and coordination among all Armenian
organizations and individuals. We call on all Armenians to engage in pioneering
and long-term investment to restore the social, economic, cultural and
technological strengths of the nation, with Armenia at its core. At the same
time, we urge the government of Armenia to respond to this clarion call by
adopting new development strategies based on inclusiveness and collective
action.
Individuals, as well as public and private organizations
dedicated to the advancement of Armenia, must come together, pool their
resources and collaborate to deliver a better tomorrow for the Armenian people.
We believe that in order to succeed, we cannot operate in isolation as Armenian
citizens or as Diaspora Armenians, but rather together as a united force.
We, the undersigned, are launching this effort with a
long-term commitment toward collectively advancing the nation. We welcome all
those who can join.
United, we represent “Global Armenians.” And for Global Armenians, the time for bold
initiative is now.
Noubar Afeyan (U.S.)
Ruben Vardanyan (Russia)
Gagik Adibekyan (Luxemburg)
Andre Andonian (Japan)
Abel Aganbegyan (Russia)
Father Mesrop Aramyan (Armenia)
Garo Armen (U.S.)
Charles Aznavour (Switzerland)
Lord Ara Darzi (U.K.)
Edward P. Djerejian (U.S.)
Charles Ghailian (U.S.)
Salpi Ghazarian (U.S.)
Vartan Gregorian (U.S.)
Pierre Gurdjian (Belgium)
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