Schirinian to Speak on ‘Empowerment of Rural Women’ at AIWA Breakfast

ARLINGTON, Mass.—On Sat., Feb. 25, Ana Christina Schirinian, who spearheads agricultural development projects in Armenia and in other nations, will be the special guest at a breakfast reception at the Armenian Cultural Foundation (ACF) in Arlington.

In an informal, illustrated program sponsored by the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA), Schirinian will describe her experiences, and the lessons learned, from her work as president of Tierras de Armenia and as executive director of Fruitful Armenia.

These projects have aimed to introduce the latest technology into agricultural activity in order to maximize efficiency and quality. Tierras de Armenia, for example, has taken a large arid expanse of land in the Armavir province and turned it into a productive fruit-bearing area, having clearly benefited from state-of-the-art irrigation provided by a newly constructed reservoir. Shirinian will also discuss her experience from agricultural development projects in other nations, notably Argentina, Morocco, and Italy, during the program.

A native of Buenos Aires, Schirinian serves as special assistant to businessman Edwardo Eurnekian, the head of the Argentine holding company Corporación América, who is especially known by Armenians for his activities in rebuilding Zvartnots Airport in Yerevan.

Schirinian is visiting the U.S. to participate in the annual session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations headquarters in New York. She will be featured in a workshop sponsored by AIWA on Mon., Feb. 27, from 6:15-7:45 p.m. at the Church Center, opposite the UN General Assembly building. Also participating in the New York workshop will be documentary photographer and attorney Sara Anjargolian from Los Angeles.

The AIWA breakfast reception begins at 10 a.m. and is free and open to the public. The focus of Schirinian’s talk will be “The Empowerment of Rural Women,” as exemplified in her work supporting sustainable development.

For more information, contact the AIWA office by calling (617) 926-0171 or e-mailing aiwainc@aol.com.