Knowing homeland: The lasting impact of class trips to Armenia
Several weeks ago, during a gathering at our friends’ home, an unsettling debate emerged about whether class trips to Armenia organized by Armenian schools in the diaspora are truly valuable. An acquaintance, who relocated from the diaspora to Armenia several years ago, insisted that these journeys are merely superficial tourist excursions: Students come, have fun, take photos and leave without forming genuine connections.
My partner Araz and I were stunned. Not only were we both graduates of Armenian schools in the diaspora, but we also visited Armenia through those educational institutions in our youth. For Araz, her school trip at age 10 marked her first-ever visit to Armenia; for me, the journey at age 13 was my second time in the homeland, having previously visited with family. Both of us returned home completely transformed by these experiences.
More than two decades ago, during our school trip, my classmates and I traveled not just to Yerevan but throughout Armenia, including Artsakh—a homeland now tragically lost. The impact was immense; everything we had read in our books about Armenia’s history, culture and landscape came alive before our eyes. The homeland was no longer just a photograph, a painting on the wall or an abstract concept; it became tangible, lived and unforgettable. Araz had a similar experience when she visited with her fifth-grade classmates from St. Stephen’s School in Watertown.
The recent class trip by 25 12th-graders from the ARS Armenian Private School in Toronto (my alma mater) is a brilliant and contemporary example of why these programs are so important. I closely followed their journey, which created a profound relationship with Armenian history, culture and society, refuting the claim that these trips are merely performative.
The students visited Gyumri and paid tribute to poet Hovhannes Shiraz at his museum-home. There, they had the unexpected delight of meeting by coincidence a celebrated Armenian sports star, whom they had previously only watched on screen during the Olympic Games and international competitions—a memorable encounter that made their national hero suddenly real and accessible.
The students visited places less frequented by tourists, such as the Syunik region in southern Armenia, where they stayed and explored the picturesque town of Goris. They marveled at thousand-year-old monasteries like Tatev, as well as Haghpat and Sanahin in Lori, reaffirming their connection to Armenia’s spiritual and architectural heritage.
They had eye-opening and moving experiences meeting forcibly displaced youth from Artsakh—their peers who had lost their homeland. These encounters gave a human face to the bitter reality of war and displacement, opening a perspective that no textbook or history lesson can fully convey. They heard firsthand accounts from families uprooted from their homes. These interactions fostered empathy and understanding, strengthening the students’ sense of responsibility toward the Armenian nation and its people.
It was particularly meaningful to follow their visit to the village of Ushi, where the students met Mrs. Elise, the widow of the late Markar Sharapkhanian, founding principal of the ARS Armenian Private School. Mrs. Elise warmly hosted them, sharing stories about her late husband’s dedication to Armenian education and the importance of roots in the homeland. At Markar’s grave, the students collectively recited the school oath he had written nearly half a century earlier, reaffirming their connection to the values that have guided their education.
At the Yerablur Military Cemetery, the students commemorated the sacrifice of thousands of Armenian heroes and honored the memory of Kristapor Artin, a Toronto-Armenian volunteer who fell for Artsakh, by placing flowers on his grave. At Tsitsernakaberd, the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex, they reflected on the tragic past and strengthened their commitment to justice.
These are not mere tourist actions; they are the lived experiences of young Armenians connecting with their homeland.
And, of course, the journey wasn’t just about remembrance and loss. Throughout different regions, students had the opportunity to interact with other young Armenians, their peers, who provided an authentic glimpse into daily life in Armenia: the challenges, certainly, but also the vitality, warmth and joy that prevail here. They met young people who, like them, are navigating school, social lives, relationships and aspirations for the future. Through these interactions, they saw Armenia not just as a place of historical significance but as a living, breathing country where young people, just like them, are making their way.
The trip developed their environmental awareness. During visits to Armenia Tree Project (ATP) sites, students learned about sustainable reforestation and planted trees, actively participating in Armenia’s green future. They had discussions with women parliamentarians, gaining direct exposure to governance and policy-making. This interaction not only deepened their understanding of Armenia’s political situation but also provided an inspirational moment, especially for the girls in the group, who saw female leaders fighting for the nation’s future.
Many of the students have family members in Armenia—cousins, uncles, aunts or grandparents. This visit allowed them to strengthen those family ties in meaningful ways, bridging their diasporan identity with the homeland. These personal connections created moments of profound recognition, as students found echoes of their own family stories, traditions and even physical traits reflected in relatives they were meeting for the first time or reconnecting with after years apart. In these intimate family gatherings, the abstract concept of ‘homeland’ transformed into something beautifully concrete: shared meals, familiar expressions and the warm embrace of belonging.
Critics may fail to see the long-term impact of these journeys, but the seeds planted during these formative visits often bear fruit years later in countless ways. Some of these students will return through Birthright Armenia or the Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) to volunteer, give back and grow from that transformative experience; the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) to run camps for local children outside of Yerevan; the AGBU to interact and network with other young professionals; Homenetmen to compete against Armenians from around the world; church groups on pilgrimages and missions; or countless other organizations and initiatives yet to emerge. Some will visit individually. And some, like my partner and me, will make Armenia their home.
But even in those rare instances when they don’t return, the experience never fades. Armenia ceases to be an abstract idea and becomes a real place with real people, complete with its problems and progress, challenges and triumphs, frustrations and joys. It transforms from a distant historical concept into a living, breathing place that occupies a permanent corner in their identity, influencing how they see themselves and their place in the world.
To view these trips as a waste of time and resources is to miss their true value. They plant seeds of connection, awareness and responsibility—seeds whose blossoming may take years, but which remain deeply rooted in the students’ hearts and minds.
For many, this is the first encounter with the homeland. For others, it becomes the most memorable one as they share it with lifelong friends. But regardless of which category they fall into, these are experiences they will continuously rediscover and reinterpret throughout their lives.
And that is anything but futile.
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This piece was originally published in Western Armenian («Դէպի հող. հայկական վարժարաններու Հայաստան այցելութիւններուն տեւական ազդեցութիւնը») in Torontohye’s April 2025 issue.
Rupen Janbazian
Rupen …. You are right on with your passionate explanation. Every time I have been to Armenia , I meet students and their teachers who are making an emotional connection with the homeland. The itinerary you described allowed the children to the human connections essential in Armenia. Whether it’s peers, elders or sports stars , they are completing an intellectual understanding with one in their hearts. For many of these kids, these trips inspire them to return for internships, volunteer programs and other deeper commitments. It also increases the participation level in their communities in the diaspora. It is also a rewarding experience for students in Armenia to meet peers from the diaspora. I say bravo to the organizers.
There seems to be a quick judgement made in such conversations about programs that intend to do good, but might not fully serve the purpose it sets out to the best of its ability, to then cancel these programs. I’m glad you identified the benefits of these trips, and maybe we can find ways to improve the overall experience instead of further highlighting negatives that further deeper divides. Not everything needs to be immediately constructive. I took my first trip to Armenia through an exchange program when I was 16. The memories of that trip last to this day, and eventually led to moving to Armenia in a more meaningful way. I hope more people open their eyes to the potential of planting these seeds.