Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474
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E-mail: [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
CHRISTIAN YOUTH MISSION TO ARMENIA READY TO LEAVE FOR SIXTH SUMMER
PILGRIMAGE TO ARMENIA
On Tuesday, June 30, 2009, the Christian Youth Mission to Armenia
(CYMA-WD) will embark on its sixth summer mission to Armenia departing
from Los Angeles bound for Yerevan for a one month spiritual and
cultural pilgrimage to Armenia.
In its five short years as the official youth mission to Armenia of
the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, the CYMA program has taken
over 75 youth members to Armenia. Each summer the CYMA program has
specialized in a different area of Armenian life.
This year’s theme is `Moving Mountains.’ Chairman of CYMA David
Yaldezian explained, `Moving Mountains is about coming together as a
CYMA family, experience local life in your homeland and then unite
around a special cause.’
CYMA participants, with the help of local Armenians will team up to
rebuild a dilapidated house in Gyumri. The house and affected family
were hand chosen by His Holiness, Karekin II. With a generous gift
from the Western Diocese, CYMA will donate $15,000 to help facilitate
the rebirth of this home. This is the first such home rebuilding
project that CYMA has taken part of and will be a great addition to
the already spiritually challenging program the CYMA program endures
bringing to life the objective of `Moving Mountains.’
In addition to their special mission in Gyumri, the 14 CYMA
participants will spend three days in Vanadzor at a special youth camp
as well as four days in Artsakh with a local church youth
organization.
Co-coordinator Sarah Mergeanian stated, `This will be my third time to
Armenia and my third time on CYMA. I am so excited to come back to
help lead the trip. We have a very special year planned, and I can’t
wait to be back in my homeland.’
The Christian Youth Mission serves to unify and strengthen the
Armenian community by establishing a BRIDGE between diaspora’s Youth
and Our Homeland through participation in the social, religious,
professional and cultural life of Hayastan.
For more information on CYMA-WD and its summer spiritual program,
please visit or contact our publicity coordinator,
Sarah Mergeanian at [email protected].
Established in 2004, CYMA-WD () is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization under the auspices of the Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church of North America as a mission of the Armenian
Church Youth Organization. Headquartered in Burbank, CYMA serves to
unify and strengthen the Armenian community by establishing a BRIDGE
between diaspora’s Youth and Our Homeland through participation in the
social, religious, professional and cultural life of Hayastan.