Armenian Youth Federation’s ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force members are shocked and saddened by the news of Hrach Muradian’s murder in Proshyan village in Armenia on April 2nd. A long-time ARF activist and Artsakh War veteran, Unger Hrach was a true patriot, whose contributions to both the national liberation struggle and the state-building efforts after the war have been invaluable.

Having served as the head of Proshyan village in the Kotayk Province since 2005, Hrach Muradian played an important role in assisting the AYF with the organization of its summer ‘Youth Corps’ program in that region. One of the three camps that the program runs every summer for kids from low-income families has been based in Proshyan for the past three years.

‘Through both our cooperation on the Youth Corps program and the daily encounters with Unger Hrach during our summer camp, we had come to appreciate his commitment, modesty, and determination to help us in every way possible to ensure the success of our initiative,’ says Caspar Jivalagian, a former Youth Corps team leader and a member of the WOS task force.

Hrach Muradian’s military path included service alongside the legendary commander Petros Ghevondyan and participation in a number of important battles. He was awarded the Military Cross and several medals for his service to his country and heroism on the battlefield in Artsakh.

“On behalf of the ‘With Our Soldiers’ campaign, we express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Hrach Muradian,” adds Tro Krikorian, a community activist and a member of the WOS task force. “This murder is a big loss for our country, and we call for a thorough investigation of this crime and a just punishment of those responsible.”

The ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force made a decision to allocate funds from the campaign budget to assist the Muradian family in these difficult times. Though no amount of money can relieve the grief of the family, the task force believes that it is important to show support for those who have sacrificed so much for our country and for Artsakh’s freedom.

“This murder is a result of the atmosphere of lawlessness that has been created by the ruling elite in Armenia and that is destroying our country from inside. Once again, our citizens are witnessing the same old tactics being used to instill fear and trepidation in those who have defeated our external enemies and never succumbed to the pressures of the internal foes,” stated the chairman of the With Our Soldiers task force, David Arakelyan.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

The Armenian Youth Federation is continuing its efforts to bring medical assistance to the veterans of the Artsakh Liberation Struggle.  Since launching the ‘With Our Soldiers’ (WOS) campaign last year, the AYF has provided medical assistance to over 40 freedom fighters in the Homeland and is aiming to aid an even larger amount of heroes in the months ahead.

From its inception, the campaign has developed a series of procedures in order to effectively verify the identity of the assistance-seeking veterans, as well as to ensure each patient receives proper care. Consequently, all patients have been required to submit their official military documentation, proving their service during the Artsakh Liberation struggle, and their complete medical history to the hospital. These documents are first reviewed by the ‘With Our Soldiers’ task force in the United States, and later by the hospital’s doctors in Armenia. Upon approval, initial checkups and physicals are conducted to help ensure the accurate diagnosis of patients. Thereafter, the task force reviews the recommendations from the Yerevan Medical Center, meticulously approves each patient’s prescribed treatment and distributes funds to the hospital appropriately.

“The doctors at the Yerevan Medical Center have been instrumental in providing assistance to the veterans on the ground,” said WOS task force member, Caspar Jivalagian. “Without the help of Dr. Taron Tonoyan and Dr. Hakob Balayan, this campaign would not have been possible. We express great gratitude to them and our operations Coordinator in Armenia, Unger Kevork Parseghian, for their invaluable support and dedication to our nation’s veterans.”

In the spirit of accountability, the AYF has shared with the community numerous video updates to further illustrate the stories and treatments of individual veterans being assisted by the ‘With Our Soldiers’ campaign. These moving reports, prepared by Yerkir Media, about the post-war conditions and treatments of our freedom fighters have truly inspired Armenians in the diaspora and Armenia alike. Most importantly, they have been successful at their aim of revealing the stories of our country’s heroes, who, at times, have been neglected by government and abandoned by society.

The medical treatments provided by the campaign have varied in complexity, cost, and urgency. Yet, all of them have played a vital role in helping reconstruct the lives of our freedom fighters. Earlier this year, Rafik Vardanyan, a veteran who participated in the Battle of Shushi, received a life-saving brain surgery, which he would have otherwise not been able to afford with the small pension he received from the government. In addition, the funding from the With Our Soldiers Campaign allowed Hrachik Melkonyan and Garnik Madinyan, two azadamardiks struggling to find employment, to receive eye surgeries that helped restore their longtime damaged visions.

“What we are doing for our veterans through this campaign is not merely assistance or an act of charity,’ said David Arakelyan, Chairperson of the WOS task force.  “We are simply repaying our debts to these heroes for the sacrifices they made in order to give us a free and independent Artsakh.”

Medical support is not limited to freedom fighters alone; in some cases, the campaign has helped the family members of veterans as well.  Alvina Azaryan, the wife of freedom fighter Edik Azarian, from the Kotayk province, had a serious heart condition requiring a surgery the Veteran’s family could not afford.  The With Our Soldiers Campaign funded surgery and after a difficult, but successful procedure, the life of Edik’s 55-year old wife was no longer in danger.

Since its launch in 2012, the ‘With Our Soldiers’ campaign has received strong support from members of the Armenian community. To date, over $60,000 has been raised through individual donations and the efforts of the AYF Western Region Chapters.  The Armenian Youth Federation is extremely grateful to all of its friends and supporters for their commitment to the wellbeing of our veterans and for their continued trust in AYF and its “With Our Soldiers” campaign.

As the work to provide essential medical assistance to our veterans continues, the “With Our Soldiers” task force will release periodic reports about the progress of the campaign and share the new stories of veterans who receive the campaign’s help. Community members are encouraged to visit the www.withoursoldiers.com website, as well as follow the AYF and WOS Facebook pages for periodic updates. All questions regarding the campaign can be directed to the AYF Western Region Office.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the United States working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.

Download the 2013 Application Here

The ‘Karekin Njteh’ Future Leaders Program is a comprehensive internship aimed at giving students the opportunity to gain experience in the fields of public administration and public relations, while learning about strategic planning, human resource management, program development, social media advertising, and political activism.

“Through this internship program, the AYF is giving Armenian youth the opportunity to learn things that will give them a definite edge in their upcoming professional careers,” says internship coordinator, Shant Meguerditchian.

Ideal candidates are outstanding high school or college students with a strong interest in social issues, excellent research skills, and the ability to complete assignments in a timely manner. During the 8-week long internship, participants are given an inside look at the AYF, gaining experience in working for a non-profit organization, leading projects, and compiling research. Interns also partake in a lecture series, unique outings, and various career building workshops.

Interns will also be assigned a personally-tailored final project which they will present at a closing ceremony at the conclusion of their internship. The final project is designed around the interns’ career goals, with the intent of helping advance the Armenian Cause.

Participants of the Future Leaders Program will not only gain leadership skills, but they will also expand their network, boost their resume, and receive a certificate of completion.

Interested students should email their completed application form to ayf@ayfwest.org by April 1st.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the United States working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural awareness of Armenian-American youth.