ARF Youth Leadership Conference Convenes in Yerevan

AYF-WR Executive Director Serouj Aprahamian (2nd from left) at a press conference in Yerevan breifing the media on the ARF leadership conference.

YEREVAN—At a press conference Tuesday, leaders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation youth organizations outlined their collective approach regarding challenges facing the Armenian people as concluded during a weekend-long leadership conference.

Some 49 members representing ARF youth organizations from around the world participated in the leadership conference, which addressed the role of the Armenian youth in the current political climate, as well as efforts to strengthen Diaspora-Armenia relations.

At Wednesday’s press briefing ARF Youth Organization of Armenia representative Artur Ghazaryan announced that the leadership conference unanimously concluded that the Armenia-Turkey protocols posed critical dangers for the Armenian nation and demanded an immediate end to the process.

The conference also concluded that the only alternative to the international recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is its reunification with Armenia. The conference also condemned Georgian authorities for the ill-treatment of its citizens of Armenian origin, especially the government-initiated obstacles placed on the population of Javakhk.

As for immediate plans, Ghazaryan said the conference concluded that Armenian youth and the entire Armenian nation must unite on January 11 to express its opposition to the protocols, which are headed for review by Armenia’s Constitutional Court on January 12.

Ghazaryan said that after lengthy discussion and analysis, the conference concluded that thus far relations between youth in Armenia and Diaspora have been superficial, at best. The conference reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening those ties and adopted a plan of action to be set forth immediately.