Armenian Students for Artsakh research competition concludes with final event in Yerevan

The event concluding the “Armenian Students for Artsakh” Research Competition held at the ARF Aram Manukian Youth Center, Yerevan, February 1, 2024 (Photo: Hakob Kolyan)

YEREVAN—On February 1, the concluding event of the “Armenian Students for Artsakh” Research Competition took place at the ARF Aram Manukian Youth Center in Yerevan. The event was organized by the ARF Bureau Youth Office of Affairs under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports of the Republic of Artsakh.

The program, initiated in 2023, aimed to harness the professional abilities of Armenian students across various fields to address the Armenian cause, particularly the Artsakh issue. It sought to make the conducted studies available for effective utilization by influential institutions engaged in pro-Armenian activities. In the long term, the initiative strives to analyze issues objectively, foster analytical thinking and develop approaches crucial for mature political thought and activity.

The event was graced by the presence of the Artsakh Republic’s Minister of Education and Culture Norik Mkrtchyan, Artsakh National Assembly deputies Vahram Balayan and Metakse Hakobyan, as well as RA National Assembly deputies Armenouhi Kyureghyan, Christine Vardanyan and Garnik Danielyan.

At the event, top-performing students participating in the program delivered speeches presenting their studies, while their mentors provided testimonials. Twelve individual students and one student group from Armenia, Artsakh, Lebanon, Iran and the United States dedicated themselves to the project.

Special appreciation was accorded to the following two articles, distinguished by their importance and relevance.

“The destructive impact of the blockade and forcible displacement of Artsakh on the rights and mental state of the children of Artsakh”
- Mentor – Gegham Stepanyan, Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh
- Student – Datev Davtyan, Republic of Armenia

“The urgent necessity to preserve the spiritual and non-material heritage of Artsakh”
- Mentor – Father Garegin Hambardzumyan, director of Artsakh’s spiritual and cultural heritage preservation office in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
- Student – Vahagn Khachatryan, Republic of Artsakh

The following students were recognized as winners.

First place – recipient of a $1,000 scholarship:
- “Relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia”
- Mentor – Abraham Gasparyan, founding director of Genesis Armenia Center
- Student Group – Hovhanes Ghazaryan, Lilit Yekmalyan, Latush Simonyan, Republic of Armenia
Second place – recipient of a $750 scholarship:
- “Azerbaijan’s Caviar Diplomacy in Europe”
- Mentor – Heghineh Evinyan, director of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy
- Student – Narod Noramanian, Holland
Third place – recipient of a $500 scholarship
- “Relations between Azerbaijan and Israel”
- Mentor – Shahan Kandaharian, editor-in-chief of Beirut Aztag Daily
- Student – Zhanna Vardanyan, Republic of Armenia

At the conclusion, all participants were presented with certificates and gifts.

The organizers and winners of the “Armenian Students for Artsakh” Research Competition (Photo: Hakob Kolyan)

The ARF Bureau Office of Youth Affairs extends sincere thanks and gratitude to the donors and mentors of the project.

ARF Bureau member Hovsep Der Kevorkian (Photo: Hakob Kolyan)

In his remarks, ARF Bureau member and liaison to youth affairs, Hovsep Der Kevorkian, emphasized the three main focal points of the project: the students, the studies and the institutions dedicated to safeguarding Armenian rights. He highlighted that these studies serve not only as sources of information but also as platforms for recommendations and prospective action. Der Kevorkian underscored the strength of the Armenian people, particularly its students, portraying this project as a modest contribution toward consolidating their potential and enhancing their involvement in national affairs through innovative methods.

He added that some studies delve into how, over the years, Azerbaijan has leveraged various means to achieve its current successes, including stonewalling, diplomatic maneuvers, alliances and other strategies. The pressing question today, he argued, is how Armenians can strengthen the state and halt the gradual erosion of their positions, transforming this trend into a path of growth and recovery leading to new triumphs.

To rally Armenian students around this crucial issue, the ARF Bureau Office of Youth Affairs will continue its mission to encourage their engagement in pro-Armenian activities, prioritizing support for Artsakh and the protection of the rights of Artsakh Armenians.