Camp Corner 2021

Going into the summer of 2021, I knew I had to do something to reconnect to my Armenian identity. The pandemic left us cooped up in our homes and discouraged large gatherings, leaving Armenians with a sense of shared detachment from our community. We could not visit our Armenian grandparents. We could not attend meetings for our Armenian organizations. We could not celebrate our culture through song and dance. This was all happening during a time when community involvement was more necessary than ever. The 2020 Artsakh War left us with a deeper feeling of loss and many of us uncertain about what type of impact we could have on post-war Armenia.

I decided to work at AYF Camp Haiastan this summer for exactly that reason—to fill that void and educate young Armenians about our homeland. Camp is one of the few places where you can be fully surrounded by key aspects of your Armenian identity at all times. It is where you meet fellow Armenians from across the country and find similarities in the way you were raised, despite living completely separate lives. For me personally, Camp was where I found true pride in being Armenian and understood the depth and importance of being part of the diaspora. We celebrate and concentrate on the interconnectedness of culture, education and engagement of our youth, leaving campers with a deeper appreciation of their heritage and history. From impromptu “shoorch bars” on rainy days to song night, Camp is a place that celebrates the Armenian culture and its beauty, while also remembering the past and current atrocities that have been perpetrated against the Armenian people.

I wanted to work as an Armenian school teacher, or as we are calling it this year, a “Hye Jam” (Armenian Time) teacher. The focus of this summer’s curriculum was Artsakh. I, along with U. Knar Krafian and U. Chris Huth, wanted to teach the campers about the 2020 Artsakh War and also the history of Artsakh and its people, the importance of Artsakh, and the impact of the war on Armenian politics. In addition, we kept up with a standard curriculum of teaching Armenian language, history, culture and the role of the diaspora. We wanted the campers to have the same experience that we had in developing a passion for Hai Tahd, but further expand their appreciation for the Armenian cause by including current events and starting engaging conversations about the aftermath of the war.

This year especially, we found that the campers had a genuine passion for learning. Their curiosity and intellect reassured us that our aims were being understood by the younger generation, and they too felt the urgency to assist Armenia. They brainstormed ways to fundraise, expressed interest in working in Armenia, but most importantly, they learned that it was their duty as the diasporan community to spread awareness about the atrocities our people have been subject to and to continue to fight to bring justice to Armenia. We often overlook the voices of the youth in our community, as it is rarely believed that they can create monumental change for our people. But they were open to hearing the opinions of others while also holding their own ground, leading to extremely interesting conversations. Above all, they all cared about seeing the success of Armenia and the Armenian people and took into consideration that the success of the country is often in the hands of the diaspora.

I am confident that this current generation of campers is going to be successful in bringing not only awareness to the Armenian people, but also creating change in Armenia. These young people have ambition and drive. They understand that the progress of the Armenian Diaspora will one day be in their hands. They want to learn more about Armenian issues and contribute original and creative solutions to longstanding issues. What AYF Camp Haiastan gives them is an outlet to express their ideas and connect them to various parts of the community. I am excited to see what they can do with the resources they have been given, and I am so appreciative that I was able to have the opportunity to engage with such a passionate and bright generation of strong and independent Armenians.

-Sarine Meguerditchian
July 23, 2021

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Camp Haiastan

Located in Franklin, Massachusetts, AYF Camp Haiastan, was founded in 1951 and is the oldest Armenian camp in the United States. The Camp prides itself on providing a healthy and safe experience to Armenian-American youth to help them foster their Armenian identity and establish lifelong friendships.