What I’d ask Queen Parandzem

Leila Yenikomshian, Greater Boston “Nejdeh” 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. Leila Yenikomshian’s essay, which earned second place in the middle group (ages 13-14), answered the following prompt: Imagine sitting down with a hero from Armenian history. Who would you choose, and what would you hope to learn from their experiences, courage and dreams for Armenia? What would you share with them about who we are today, as Armenians in the Diaspora—and how we continue to stand strong, keep their spirit alive and carry the torch of justice? If I could speak with any Armenian hero in history, I would choose Queen Parandzem. She was the wife of King Arshak II of Armenia in the fourth century. During a war against the Persians, King Arshak II was captured despite his efforts to defend Armenia. Without a second thought, Queen Parandzem took the place of her husband. She led armies and defended the fortress of Artagers while her husband was imprisoned. I would like to speak with Queen Parandzem, because she showed tremendous fortitude, bravery and love for her country during a time when women’s courage was often overlooked or ignored. In this ancient time, it was not common for women to lead and be in power. Women are also not mentioned a lot in Armenian history, even if they made a big impact on the world. I would ask Queen Parandzem questions like: What did people think of her? Did she care? How was she so brave? Was it hard for her to rule? What were some of her biggest struggles? Was anyone ever disrespectful to her because she was a woman—or because she was an intelligent woman? How did she respond to that—with force or with kindness? Who were her role models? If I had the opportunity, I would inform her about the major events in Armenian history that happened after her time—how her story has impacted Armenian history, and how people—years and years later—remember her. People remember her as an extremely intelligent ruler. The place where Queen Parandzem was born, Syunik, is now sacred. Mothers used to bring their daughters to drink from the springs she drank from, hoping their daughters would take on Queen Parandzem’s strength, courage and intelligence. Today, even though those springs have all dried up, people still visit those sites and touch the stones, hoping to draw from Queen Parandzem’s strong attributes. If given the opportunity, I would also share how Armenians have continued her spirit and ask what she thinks the future holds for the Armenian people. There are many things the Armenian diaspora does to keep our culture alive. I would tell Queen Parandzem about the many important Armenian organizations that people can join. One of the most meaningful, in my opinion, is the AYF (Armenian Youth Federation). I participate in the Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter, and many people in my family have been AYF members. My mom volunteers with the Armenian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) and the Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. I think that Queen Parandzem would appreciate AWWA, because it’s led entirely by women and honors and aids elderly Armenians both in the U.S. and in Armenia. Given that Queen Parandzem was a woman in charge, I think she would be happy to know that an organization of Armenian women is committed to helping others in their community. Other cultural activities are also important to me. At the Abaka Dance Company, my teachers—all strong Armenian women—have taught me traditional dance as a way to keep our culture alive. Through Homenetmen, my basketball coaches are women who teach us to work hard and work as a team. These experiences are ways to get closer to my Armenian heritage while also having lots of fun! Finally, I would ask Queen Parandzem: now that she knows all about Armenians today, does she have any advice for us? With all her experience, her insight would be extremely helpful to help us become a stronger diaspora. What advice would she have for our current leaders? Maybe Armenia would be in better hands today if strong women like Queen Parandzem were in power.

What I’d ask Queen Parandzem

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