Day: December 18, 2023

Apply for the 2024 AYF Internship in Armenia!  Armenian Weekly

2024 AYF Internship in Armenia seeking Director  Armenian Weekly

The United States is intensifying pressure on countries with strategic interests in the Red Sea region to establish a multinational task force aimed at countering the escalating threat posed by Houthi attacks.

The call for collaborative action reflects the growing US exploitation of the Red Sea for the so-called security of vital maritime routes and the need to address the challenges posed by Houthi.

The U.S. government has been actively engaging with key allies and partners, pressing them to contribute to the formation of a robust multinational task force dedicated to ensuring the safety and stability of the Red Sea.

The task force, once established, is expected to operate under a unified command structure, with participating nations pooling their naval assets and resources to effectively counter the threat posed by Houthi attacks.

The Houthi recent attacks in the Red Sea, including missile attacks on commercial and military vessels, have raised alarm bells to the US interests in the region. The strategic waterway is of paramount importance for global trade, and any disruption poses a significant risk to the United States.

However, this task force engages with many differences and conflicts of interests by the proposed members who face increasing pressure by Washington to act in favor of US interests. However, the US has failed to address the concerns of these member countries.

The pressure exerted by the United States reflects a sense of urgency in addressing the evolving security situation in the Red Sea region. Diplomatic channels are being utilized to garner international support for the proposed task force, emphasizing the importance of collective action in maintaining the rule of law and preserving freedom of navigation in the strategically significant waterway.

Georgian PM highlights decreasing number of ECHR complaints against domestic penitentiary  Agenda.ge

On March 6, 2023, I was accepted into the College of the Holy Cross Washington, D.C. Semester Program. The program entailed participating in a public policy seminar, writing a thesis and interning at an agency of my choice in Washington during the fall 2023 semester. I knew from the moment I was admitted that I wanted to spend my time in Washington working to advance Hai Tahd at the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in a very large and prominent Armenian community, attending Armenian day school and staying very connected to my culture and heritage while living within the diaspora. One of the first questions people ask me when they find out I attend Holy Cross is why I chose to go to school in Worcester, Massachusetts. The answer for me is always an easy one and one I am proud to talk about. I knew I wanted to attend a liberal arts college on the East Coast, and Holy Cross had much to offer. More importantly, however, moving away from home at 17 years old was intimidating, and I wanted to make the right choice. Worcester is the birthplace of the Armenian-American diaspora, and from the moment I stepped foot in the city, I knew it would be home for the next four years. It is a privilege to be part of the oldest Armenian community in the United States.

Madeline Bogdjalian (bottom left) with the Fall 2023 Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program post-graduate fellows and undergraduate interns at the ANCA Aramian House

As a Worcester “Aram” AYF Chapter member, I have gotten to know so many wonderful Armenians in Worcester and feel at home. Since joining the chapter in my freshman year of college, I have become treasurer and an involved member of the Worcester Armenian community. My involvement in AYF has raised my awareness of the challenges facing our community, both here in the United States and in our homeland. I believe diasporan Armenians have a responsibility to play a role in the Armenian cause however they can.

When I had the opportunity to spend my semester in Washington, I wanted to continue to be an involved member of the Armenian diaspora and push forward Armenian advocacy initiatives in the nation’s capital. From the moment I arrived in Washington, D.C., I knew the next three months would be filled with meaningful advocacy for the Armenian community.

My semester in D.C. took place during a tragic and turbulent time for our homeland and the Armenians of Artsakh. On my second day as an intern at the ANCA, I attended my first-ever congressional commission hearing—the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission emergency hearing—to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh. I remember sitting in the hearing room, surrounded by fellow ANCA team and community members, listening to U.S. representatives and former ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo discuss Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Artsakh Armenians. From that day on, every day I spent at the ANCA office focused on Artsakh justice and Armenian advocacy. We attended multiple hearings, posted updates and encouraged members of Congress and presidential candidates to speak up for Artsakh. We used our voices to amplify the Armenian cause in the American political sphere.

Reflecting on my semester in D.C. and my time at the ANCA, I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to work at an exceptional organization. The ANCA does unparalleled work for our community and puts Hai Tahd at the forefront of its goals. The grassroots advocacy power of the Armenian community and consistent work done by the ANCA are inspiring and a testament to the Armenian diaspora’s impact in the political sphere. During my time as a Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Intern, I met with several distinguished politicians, attended congressional committee and commission hearings and even sat in Congress for a historic moment as His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, led the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives. These experiences were truly formative in my understanding of Armenian advocacy and the workings of Washington and made my time in D.C. very special.

Madeline Bogdjalian and fellow Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program fellows and interns join ANCA Programs Director Alex Galitsky in thanking Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) for spearheading the unanimous passage of legislation (S.3000) cutting U.S. aid to Azerbaijan and demanding accountability for the genocidal ethnic cleansing of Artsakh

Spending my semester in D.C. as a Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Intern has been very rewarding. I have been able to contribute to the Armenian cause in the political sphere and tie my undergraduate education with my passion for Armenian advocacy. I wrote my thesis on the Armenian lobby’s influence on United States foreign policy, largely inspired by everything I learned during my internship at the ANCA. My research and thesis would not have been possible without the resources, network and interviews the ANCA provided me.

While in D.C., I worked with fellow Capital Gateway interns in the office and Capital Gateway fellows living in the Aramian House. The community fostered by the program is second to none. They make D.C. feel like home and offer great support, guidance and mentorship. I have made wonderful connections and lifelong friendships through the Capital Gateway Program.

I encourage anyone who can spend a semester in Washington, D.C., to apply to the Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway Program university internship. It is a fantastic way to engage in Armenian advocacy and activism while pursuing an undergraduate education. I cannot speak highly enough about the program and my time working at the ANCA. This has been my favorite semester in my undergraduate education, and I hope to return to Washington and the ANCA as a Hovig Apo Saghdejian Capital Gateway fellow post-graduation to explore career opportunities and continue advocating for the Armenian cause.

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In Belgrade, hundreds of people took to the streets in protest following the announcement of election results by the electoral commission, Radio Liberty said, Report informs via RBC Ukraine.

At least 116 people were killed when an earthquake collapsed buildings in northwest China, state media reported Tuesday, as rescue workers raced to start digging through rubble in freezing conditions, Report informs via France24.

Member event at Armenian Museum of America mixes art, philanthropy and community  Armenian Weekly

NPR News: 12-18-2023 11PM EST

The Armenian Youth Federation – Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF) Eastern United States is seeking a passionate, responsible and driven Director for the 2024 AYF Internship in Armenia program, which will tentatively take place from June 14-August 16. The Director is expected to be in Yerevan prior to the AYF interns’ arrival for set up.

Interested applicants should speak Armenian fluently and ideally have spent a substantial amount of time in Yerevan and become accustomed to the local lifestyle in Armenia.

Travel to and from Armenia for the Director is covered by the AYF-YOARF, along with housing during the Internship. The Director(s) will also be provided with a weekly stipend of $100, totaling $1,000 for the full two months, to help pay for any other additional expenses and costs they incur in Armenia.

Applicants should be aware that this position requires great responsibility, such as coordinating daily activities and excursions for the interns outside of their respective jobs. The Director is also required to live with the interns over the two-month duration of the program.

Qualifications:

• Must speak Armenian fluently;
• Must be a strong and quick communicator and be easily accessible via technology;
• Must have spent a significant amount of time in Armenia;
• Must be comfortable leading a small group of college-age students for two months;
• Must demonstrate the ability to work with and balance a large budget;
• Must be at least 21 years of age.

Requirements:

With assistance from the Central Internship Council:

• Use social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and word of mouth (phone calls, emails, etc.) to promote the internship;
• Plan and execute excursions (typically outside of Yerevan) for the weekends;
• Find appropriate jobs and place interns in their chosen fields of study;
• Arrange a house/apartment in Yerevan for the interns, along with handling communication with landlord (rent, utilities, etc.);
• Communicate with the ARF Bureau Office of Youth Affairs in Armenia, local Armenian Relief Society (ARS) office, local Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) office, and arrange trips to these offices for the interns;
• Facilitate introductions to other youth organizations in Armenia, including AYF Armenia, AYF Western Region Youth Corps, AYF Canada Youth Corps, AGBU interns and Birthright/Armenian Volunteer Corps;
• Plan and execute an educational program as well as a community service project for interns;
• Ensure interns are working 30 hours/week, attending Internship programs and excursions;
• Facilitate interns’ blogging and collaborate with AYF PR committee;
• Send daily or weekly updates to the Central Internship Council;
• Write a comprehensive report after the program’s completion to share with Central Executive;
• Give presentations to local communities/AYF chapters after the program’s completion and work with interns to do the same.

Interested applicants should apply at ayf.org/internship. All applications must be submitted by the deadline of February 1st.

Please forward any questions you may have about the job description, the AYF Internship program or the AYF-YOARF to the Central Internship Council at internship@ayf.org.

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The post 2024 AYF Internship in Armenia seeking Director appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.