What would I say to every Armenian in the world?
By Anna Vartanian, Philadelphia “Papken Suni” Chapter
The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Eastern Region is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 AYF Camp Haiastan Campership Essay Contest. The first and second place winners in each age category were announced at AYF Junior Seminar over Memorial Day weekend. Anna Vartanian’s heartfelt essay, which won first place in the younger group (ages 10-12), answered the following prompt: Imagine you had the chance to speak to every Armenian in the world. What would you tell them? How would you encourage them to be brave, to stand up for what’s right, and to help protect the story of our past while building a better, safer future for all Armenians?
The Armenian people are living through an important era following the 2020 war in Artsakh. It’s very important now to protect their country’s independence, culture and heritage. If I were to speak to every Armenian in the world, I would tell them to support Armenian schools and camps, preserve the Armenian language and become politically active regarding Armenian issues.
In the diaspora, it is always a challenge to preserve the Armenian language. The best places for children to learn Armenian—other than the home—are Armenian schools and camps. For example, I attend the Armenian Sisters Academy in Radnor, Pennsylvania, where I study Armenian language, history and religion, surrounded by friends and teachers who share my identity. I also go to AYF Camp Haiastan, where I get to meet Armenians from all around the country. These friendships allow Armenian youth to bond and become a stronger generation.
Preserving our language is crucial to keeping our identity. We must speak, read and write Armenian not only in school, but at home and with our friends. Even though many of us find it easier to communicate in English, we need to remember how important it is to keep the Armenian language alive in the long run. Just as our parents and grandparents speak to us in Armenian, we must do the same with each other so that our language is preserved for future generations. When the Turks committed the Armenian Genocide, they tried to wipe out the Armenian language, culture and religion. By using the language, we show that even though we suffered, we still continue to exist.
I would also tell Armenians to be active in social and political movements. When we are faced with challenges—such as the 2020 war in Artsakh or the ongoing fight for recognition of the Armenian Genocide—we must speak out, educate others and demand justice. We cannot give up hope when things become difficult. We must continue to fight for our rights as Armenians. The best way to do that is to participate in Armenian social and political life, such as organizing and attending protests. This ensures that our voices are heard by others who may not know about our struggles. Some of the most important people we need to reach are our government officials. Organizations like the ANC and AYF are always working to educate both youth and political leaders by organizing letter-writing campaigns and meetings with members of Congress. We all should participate so that our voices are heard loud by the decision makers in government.
In my opinion, the most important thing for the Armenian people to focus on is to prepare and strengthen the Armenian youth. We are the ones who will carry on our traditions, so we must be prepared to do so for many generations to come. The way we prepare the youth is by supporting our schools and camps, preserving our language and staying politically active. Even though sometimes the road is tough, our people must stand together and work toward the goal of a strong and successful Armenia—and a free and independent Artsakh.
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Arak Mrtsogh or Speed Racer in Armenian agrees. ճաշտ ըսիք