NEW YORK—Members of the Hamazkayin Eastern U.S. Regional Executive held their annual plenary meeting in New York on Aug. 5. The Regional Executive assessed its work of the past year and laid out ambitious goals and exciting plans for the upcoming year.
Members of the Hamazkayin Eastern U.S. Regional Executive held their annual plenary meeting in New York on Aug. 5
Regional Executive members Arevik Caprielian (chair), Hasmig Aprahamian (vice-chair), Kari Ghezarian (treasurer), Ani Aghajanian (secretary), Talin Mavlian (adviser), and Helena Bardakjian (adviser) were present at the meeting, while Nanore Barsoumian (adviser) joined the meeting via Skype. Hamazkayin Central Committee member unger Hrair Baronian was also present at the meeting. Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern Region Central Committee member unger Hovsep Avakian also briefly joined the meeting via phone and congratulated the Regional Executive for its work of the past year and spoke about the work ahead. The meeting was held at the home of Caprielian.
Following warm welcoming remarks by Caprielian, Baronian addressed the meeting and imparted words of praise for the dedication and hard work of the Regional Executive members.
During the meeting, the Regional Executive assessed the presence and work of Hamazkayin on the East Coast, and discussed the work of the chapters as well as the challenges facing the region and local chapters. The meeting touched on the progress of current projects, such as the August 2017 dance seminar that will bring together various Hamazkayin dance groups on the East Coast to exchange ideas and experiences.
Participants also discussed selection of candidates for participation in the 2018 Hamazkayin Youth Forum, which takes place in Armenia and is organized annually by the Hamazkayin Central Executive Committee. The Regional Executives annually sponsors part of the travel and participation expenses of select candidates who hail from the East Coast and wish to attend the two-week event.
The Regional Executive also discussed fresh ways for new member outreach and novel plans to engage the youth both regionally and locally.
A key topic discussed during the meeting was the centennial celebrations for the First Republic of Armenia, which will also coincide with the 90th anniversary of Hamazkayin. The Regional Executive is laying out a plan to celebrate these anniversaries both regionally and, in tandem, locally through cultural and educational events.
The Regional Executive discussed the preliminary details of hosting the 2018 Hamazkayin ArtLinks, which will take place on the East Coast. ArtLinks, a four-day arts retreat for participants age 21-35 organized jointly by the Hamazkayin Regional Executives of the East and West Coast and Canada, was first held in New York in 2015. The program then traveled to Quebec, in 2016, and California, in 2017.
The Regional Executive also discussed the progress of its annual Hamazkayin Armenian Knowledge Bowl (HAKB), and set plans for HAKB 2018. Children are encouraged to prepare for the Knowledge Ball by studying key aspects of Armenian history and culture. The program engages children from various Armenian communities in the East Coast, and, through the efforts of the local Hamazkayin chapters, brings them together in an online platform to compete in teams.
Hamazkayin aims to nurture and promote Armenian arts and culture through supporting educational and cultural initiatives in Armenian communities worldwide. The organization has nine chapters on the East Coast: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Providence, Washington D.C., and—most recently—Worcester. To find out more about the work of the Hamazkayin Eastern Region Executive, visit, www.hamazkayin-usa.org. If you would like to inquire about any of its projects, write to east@hamazkayin-usa.org.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Hamazkayin Eastern Regional Executive Sets Exciting Plans for 2018