Preserving identity, keeping the cause alive
Editor’s note: This speech was delivered on behalf of the ARF Eastern U.S. Central Committee during the opening ceremony of the 2026 AYF Olympics in New Jersey.
On behalf of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Eastern Region Central Committee, I congratulate the AYF-YOARF and this year’s host, the New Jersey “Arsen” Chapter, on the 2026 AYF Olympics.
For more than 90 years, the AYF has been more than an organization. It has been a movement — built on the belief that the survival of our nation depends on generations of Armenians willing to serve something greater than themselves.
Nigol Aghpalian, reflecting on the contributions of Aram Manoukian, once said:
“When the night falls, withdraw into the back chambers of your souls, speak to your conscience, and ask: Have you worked for the Armenian people as Aram has? Have you been as self-sacrificing? Have you dedicated your entire life to the Armenian people as Aram has?”
Aram Manoukian and his generation gave everything they had to the Armenian people. Through their sacrifice and dedication, an independent Armenian Republic emerged from the devastation of genocide.
The generations that followed refused to let that achievement disappear. They built a strong diaspora through the AYF and our sister organizations, preserving our identity and keeping our national Cause alive.
As we reflected on Artsakh’s independence last week, we remember with gratitude those who gave their lives so that our people could live freely on their ancestral land. Their sacrifice places a responsibility on all of us: to defend the right of return for the people of Artsakh and to continue the struggle for the homeland they gave everything to defend.
What we inherited was built through the sacrifices of those who came before us.
Just as generations before us built an independent Armenian Republic after the Genocide, our generation must rise to the challenge following the Artsakh Genocide by strengthening our nation and carrying our Cause forward.
Your duty as AYF-YOARF members is not simply to preserve what we inherited, but to make it stronger. Give your time and talents to the AYF—build stronger chapters, bring more youth into our organization, and ensure that every pillar of the AYF thrives through Junior and Senior Seminar, ANCA Advocacy Days, Camp Haiastan, AYF Internship in Armenia, and Camp Javakhk.
This is the responsibility of the youth that the ARF has recognized from its earliest days, as stated in the Dzrakir: “and you, the youth, who are always and everywhere the defender of lofty ideas.”
It is up to you to bring forth those lofty ideas — to build a diaspora strong enough to withstand assimilation, organized enough to defend our national interests, and committed enough to continue our struggle.
Give your talents. Give your commitment. And let your service be guided by one enduring goal: a free, independent and united Armenia.
