Post-war and during the Soviet era, AGBU managed much-needed orphanages, rebuilt communities that went on to thrive, advocated for the well-being of women and girls, and coordinated large-scale repatriation efforts. In the years that followed, AGBU’s global community experienced tremendous growth. We established libraries and educational institutions, launched numerous camps and scout programs, and created scholarship, internship, mentorship and networking programs. This was all while promoting our cultural heritage by publishing monthly and quarterly news and literary magazines, and supporting orchestral, arts and performance groups.
Partnerships also played a significant role in AGBU’s history. We worked with institutions including the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, leading to the restoration of architectural monuments and sacred places of worship. In cooperation, we founded three Children’s Centers and Senior Dining Centers, established seminaries, and proudly provided financial backing for the historic ceremony for the canonization of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. In the field of healthcare, we partnered with Yerevan State Medical University to deliver state-of-the-art medical equipment and set up the first Ultrasound Training Center and new MRI unit in Armenia. We continue to collaborate with visionary
benefactors and organizations, including
most recently, Initiatives for the Development of Armenia, to further our impact around the globe.
AGBU’s leadership in the field of education has been another hallmark and progressed from opening our first school in the early 1900s to our partnership with the American University of Armenia in 1991. We created the Armenian Virtual College in 2009 and, with the Fruitful Armenia Fund, we have helped provide one laptop per child to elementary schools across Nagorno-Karabakh since 2011. Most recently, we partnered with the TUMO center for Creative Technologies in 2014, funding centers in Stepanakert and Gyumri, and in 2015, recognizing the need to adapt to a new era of learning, we launched our Education Innovation platform, publishing e-books and mobile apps.
Then and now, our 110-year history reflects a consistent focus on our original mission of promoting our heritage and supporting our people through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs. But AGBU has adeptly evolved as needed, pursuing new strategic initiatives and partnerships to achieve that mission. The common thread has been our perseverance and unwavering spirit, remaining true to the core values established in 1906. As we enter a new period, that spirit will persevere and AGBU will continue to lead the way forward.
Berge Setrakian
AGBU President
AGBU President's Message