The face of American Armenian youth has changed: if before they were only representatives of the second or third generation, now they are also young people born in Armenia or descended from Armenian families, for whom the Homeland is no longer just a symbol, but a place where their grandparents live, experts say, referring to a recent study. Those two groups are now communicating and a new quality of the Armenian youth of the Diaspora is being formed, which implies greater involvement in affairs related to the Homeland.
Ideas about the form and ways of that involvement were discussed at the Hye Talks discussion held in Los Angeles.
Adrin Nazarian (Member of the California State Assembly) - Especially now that we have had the war, many losses and also the recent difficulties in Armenia, which keep the Armenian nation in a difficult situation, we wanted you to have this conversation so that the young people hear and see that there are many opportunities, that they can participate and strengthen the community and rebuild a country with their work.
American Armenian youth should know that we have high hopes for them, and now is the time for their abilities to be used to the maximum extent, organizers say.
Adrin Nazarian - The country doesn't need help when it's good, the country needs help when it's in pain, it's in trouble. It is now that Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) need us as a Diaspora, and we must use our efforts and talents to strengthen the country and become stronger in the global society and have a bigger role.
Armenian student unions of American universities and well-known figures who have succeeded in the American reality with their experience and stories were invited to the discussion.
Shushan Karapetian (Deputy Director at USC Institute of Armenian Studies Los Angeles, California) - They are the future. For example, compared to our generation. We saw ourselves as learners, but not leaders or managers. I see in my students the ability to lead, to change something. Now the world has changed, the world is changing so fast, whether it's technology or…. I don't think it's time we have to wait. We have to take steps and they are ready, we have to allow them."
The University of Southern California also offers scholarships, travel and living expenses for conducting research in Armenia on the Armenian topic or any topic.
Shushan Karapetian - There is such a separation among our students - Armenian and the real world. The impression is that Armenian does not belong to the real world. I want to show that they are the same and by Armenian, you can enter the international platform and have something to say not only to Armenia, but also to the world.
American-Armenian youth say that the discussions will continue until they find ways to turn their concerns into practical steps.
Lili Sarafian (Hye Talks discussion organizer) - After the war and even today, when there are attacks on the motherland, it seems that apart from the land and soldiers, we as a community have lost our consciousness as a collective force that must move forward. We mourn for all that we have lost, for the soldiers and honor their memory, but at the same time it feels as if we have lost ourselves.
We want to talk more about our feelings, say American Armenian students.
They also say that they still find it difficult to become a full part of the community, but they really want to participate in the life of their Homeland.
