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    Categories: 2018

AGBU President Berge Setrakian and Armenia’s New Leadership Discuss Mutual Areas of Interest and Cooperation

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Website: www.agbu.org

PRESS RELEASE

Monday, 

AGBU PRESIDENT BERGE SETRAKIAN AND ARMENIA’S NEW LEADERSHIP DISCUSS MUTUAL 
AREAS OF INTEREST AND COOPERATION

During the week of June 10th, the president of AGBU Berge Setrakian, 
accompanied by the president of AGBU-Armenia Vasken Yacoubian and AGBU board 
member Yervant Zorian, attended a series of meetings and working sessions with 
the president of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, the prime minister Nikol Pashinyan, 
the speaker of the National Assembly Ara Babloyan, and the ministers of Foreign 
Affairs, Defense, Diaspora, Education and Science, as well as the chairman of 
the Central Bank. In a separate visit to Etchmiadzin, Mr. Setrakian met with 
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.  

According to Mr. Setrakian, “Engaging with so many high level officials in all 
spheres of national affairs was an ideal opportunity for us to gain deeper 
insight on the new leadership’s agenda for the country and to identify areas of 
mutual interest.  It also allowed us to share the perspectives of AGBU based on 
its longstanding, on-the-ground involvement with Armenia’s citizens from all 
walks of life, through diverse programs and projects.” He further remarked that 
the discussions were “a very productive interaction that can inspire new 
initiatives of relevance to our respective responsibilities and expand the 
scope of our cooperation in such vital areas as education, socio-economic 
development, and culture.” He also emphasized that such discussions reinforce 
and enhance Armenia-Diaspora relations, which is what gives Armenia “the unique 
status of being a sovereign republic with the strength of a global nation.” 

In turn, members of the government expressed their appreciation for AGBU’s 
dedication to uplifting the people of Armenia and fulfilling its mission to 
help lay the foundations for the prosperity and well-being of the nation.  

During his visit with the Catholicos, Mr. Setrakian expressed AGBU’s support 
for the Church’s efforts to “uphold the values of our nation and the country”, 
saying that in this regard, AGBU would “continue its support of existing joint 
programs while undertaking new initiatives in partnership with the Church.” Mr. 
Setrakian also stressed the importance of keeping the public informed of the 
numerous social, educational and humanitarian activities carried out by the 
Church, reiterating his position that both government and the Church have 
special roles to play in moving all Armenians closer to the national ideals and 
timeless values that distinguish us among nations.

Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest non-profit 
Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU preserves and 
promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and 
humanitarian programs, annually touching the lives of some 500,000 Armenians 
around the world.
 
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit 
www.agbu.org.

Mike Maghakian: