AGBU Chapters in Syria
The District Committee of Syria, based in Aleppo, comprises six chapters, located in Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia, Kamishli, Yakubiye, and Kesab-Kara-duran. The Syrian AGBU awards scholarships, pays pensions to retired teachers, and gives financial support to intellectuals in difficult economic straits. Every year, it runs a summer camp in Kesab’s AGBU Center, founded in 1928. In April 2006, the Union’s Aleppo chapter inaugurated the Calouste Gulbenkian Center, work on which had begun in 2001 with the help of the foundation of the same name. The activities of the Damascus chapter take place mainly in the AGBU’s Nazaret Yacoubian Center, founded in 1999. In Kamishli, in northeastern Syria, the AGBU boasts a dynamic local chapter; it runs a new center that was inaug-urated on 22 April 2001 in the presence of Louise Manoogian Simone.
The Armenian Red Cross clinic in Aleppo (AGBU arch./New York).
Aleppo’s Najarian-Gulbenkian School in 1950 (Arch. Bibl. Nubar/Paris).
• Aleppo, April 1910: Samvel Shmavonian
• Damascus, March 1913: Khachadur Krikorian
• Beylan, January 1920: Papken Hagopian
• Kesab, May 1924: Nshan Pabujian
• Latakia, October 1927: Bedros Chebukjian
• Azaz/Azez, August 1928: Hovhannes Jaghlasian
• Arap Punar, August 1928: Hovhannes Tashjian
• Jarablus, August 1928: Dikran Shahbazian
• Homs, October 1928: Father Krikor Sarkisian
The AGBU’s Local Chapters