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The AYF-YOARF meets President Sarkisian

WATERTOWN, Mass.—Members of the Armenian Youth Federation-Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF), joined a group welcoming the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serge Sarkisian, to the Hairenik Association building in Watertown, Mass on March 26. The President was hosted by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern US Central Committee. Guests included representatives of a number of Armenian-American organizations, including the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), the Homenetmen Athletic and Scouting Union, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), as well as the publishing staff of the Hairenik and Armenian Weekly newspapers.

President Sarkisian, who was joined by Minister of Education and Science, Levon Mkrtchyan; the Minister of Diaspora, Hranush Hakobyan; and Armenian Ambassador to the United States Grigor Hovhannissian; as well as other dignitaries, visited the archives of the First Republic of Armenia, which are housed the Hairenik Association building. There, he was able to see Armenia’s first Declaration of Independence (1918) for the first time.

The Hairenik Association building—a historical and integral part of the Armenian-American community—was one of President Sarksian’s first stops on his four day trip to the Greater Boston Area, which also includes talks at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, a visit to the Armenian Museum of America, the Armenian Heritage Park, St. James, St. Stephen’s, and Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Churches, as well as an official arrival ceremony at the Massachusetts State House.

The AYF-YOARF was proud to welcome President Sarkisian on his first visit to the Boston. The many programs of the organization focus on connecting young Armenian-Americans with their culture and heritage through seminars and camps, as well as creating opportunities for them to visit the lands of our ancestors and forge relationships within Armenia—and across the globe—with other similar-minded Armenians.

As an organization, which strives to strengthen the ties between the homeland and the Diaspora with its many programs and initiatives, the AYF-YOARF was proud to welcome President Sarkisian to the Greater Boston Area—the headquarters of the organization—in order to introduce him to the work and achievements of the AYF-YOARF and the Armenian-American community in general.