TORONTO, Canada—From May 14-15, the Armen Karo Student Association hosted its third annual Armenian-Canadian Student Convention at the University of Toronto’s Victoria College, with 74 students from across Canada in attendance.

The association first began thinking about the need for an Armenian student conference in 2008. “It was our feeling that in this age of increasing globalization and digitization, our communities were in need of a central forum where young members of the Armenian-Canadian mosaic could meet to discuss their views, share their experiences, and bring about concrete plans for furthering their goals,” wrote one organizer. With these thoughts in mind, nine Armenian Students’ Associations (ASAs) from universities in Ontario and Quebec were invited to the first Convention in March 2009, held over the course of one day in Kingston, Ontario. With 40 university students in attendance, the event was deemed successful and important enough to organize a repeat performance in May 2010. This second convention was again held in Kingston and attended by 40 youth.

These two preliminary successes laid the foundation necessary for the major expansion that participants were witness to in May 2011. Placing special emphasis on reaching out to universities where recognized ASAs do not exist and to university students not involved in the Armenian community, the association was successful in attracting young Armenians from Vancouver, Cambridge, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Laval, representing a total of 19 colleges and universities.

Recognized speakers were invited to speak on a wide range of topics. In being the first to speak, Aram Hamparian, the executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), laid down an important framework for the convention: He highlighted the need for continued youth activism and political involvement, making note of the historically significant place individuals in their 20s and early 30s have had in our nation’s history.

Dr. Alan Whitehorn, professor of political science at the Royal Military College of Canada since 1978, followed with a comparative analysis of political participation and elections in Canada and Armenia. Participants explored a wide range of questions, including the legitimacy of various forms of political participation (e.g. votes, running for office, protests, and boycott campaigns), the importance of national unity, the right to self-rule, and whether support for a political party should be based primarily on how much they recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Musician, composer, and producer Ara Gevorgyan facilitated a transition into a hitherto unexplored topic: the role of art and culture in the Armenian Cause. Gevorgyan has gained international acclaim for his modern takes on traditional Armenian sounds and melodies, while regularly using his music to draw attention to matters such as the genocide.

As a founding member of the Women’s Coalition of Armenia and director of the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation, Maria Titizian was in a key position to speak to participants about the social, economic, and environmental realities in Armenia. She presented her report directly from Armenia via webcam. Her presentation was followed by an engaging and interactive discussion on topics such as corruption and immigration policy.

Roupen Kouyoumdjian’s experiences as executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada and an Armenian from Istanbul were presented in his talk on the second day of the convention. He provided insights into the political framework that directs the decision-making of Armenia’s powerful neighbor to the west.

In addition to these thought-provoking speakers, the convention placed special emphasis on the work of university student associations. Each ASA had been asked to prepare a presentation on their work over the past year, giving those present an opportunity to share in one another’s concerns and successes, and propose solutions to the challenges all seemed to face. Furthermore, the students were engaged in a strategy development workshop. The workshop identified priorities such as closer engagement with students in Armenia and remaining unwavering in the call for Turkey to turn the corner from its track record of hindering freedom of expression.

The expansion of the conference to two days also created an opportunity for participants to network and build new relationships. Through a Saturday night social event at Libra Lounge, attendees were given the opportunity to get better acquainted with their fellow convention participants, hopefully creating meaningful and long-lasting relationships.

With students from universities spanning the distance from Vancouver to Montreal, the Armen Karo Student Association, this year more than ever, came closer to their goal of creating a truly national meeting between students of common heritage with common interests and concerns. As this tradition continues year to year, they hope to expand and strengthen the Canada-wide network of Armenian youth, ensuring that the generation of up-and-coming professionals and academics receives solid training for the leadership positions they will occupy in community organizations and public life.