CANBERRA: The Armenian National Committee of Australia’s (ANC-AU) annual Youth Advocates program is gearing up for its fourth edition, hosted in Canberra on 20-21 October 2021 as part of this year’s ANC-AU Advocacy Week activities.
Since the program’s establishment in 2018, over 50 young Armenian-Australians from Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth and Auckland have ventured to the nation's capital to take part in a practical crash course in mastering the art of advocacy and debate.
The program offered to Armenian-Australian tertiary students has announced that Expression of Interest applications have officially opened.
SIGN UP NOW BY FILLING OUT AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM
ANC-AU Executive Administrator Sarine Soghomonian – a former Youth Advocate – is excited for another group to gain first-hand experience of "the complexities of Australia's political system and Federal Parliament while learning about the importance of representing the Armenian cause from seasoned professionals".
"There is no better way to keep our democracy accountable than by bringing young Armenian-Australians to the nation's capital, providing them with a platform to raise their voices on issues that remain important to them,” said Soghomonian.
This year's Youth Advocates program will have a strong focus on the challenges facing the Armenian people and homeland following the 2020 Artsakh War, shining particular light on the fact that what the indigenous Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh experienced was a continuation of the genocidal policies of the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
ANC-AU Executive Director Haig Kayserian said: “The ANC-AU Youth Advocates will have the chance to make their voices heard and highlight their distress regarding the illegal imprisonment of Armenian POWs, the desecration and appropriation of religious and cultural sites in the occupied regions of the Republic of Artsakh, and Azerbaijan's unlawful invasion of Armenia proper.”
The ANC-AU Youth Advocates Program of 2021 will feature:
A two day trip to Canberra with fellow Armenian-Australian youth, as well as members of the ANC-AU National Board, Office, and soon-to-be-announced guests;
A hands-on Advocacy Workshop, where professionals from the ANC-AU will pass on theoretical and practical advocacy tips;
A Mock Parliamentary Discussion at Parliament House, on a topic of national relevance, moderated by Federal Parliamentarians;
Mock Advocacy sessions with Members of Parliament and Senators, who have kindly agreed to received our ANC-AU Young Advocates and grill them on their assigned topics;
Valuable networking opportunities with MPs, Senators and staffers from the Australian Parliament;
Visits to a prominent think-tank dealing with policy formation, face-time with media professionals and diplomats based in Canberra.
The ANC-AU Youth Advocates program is a key component of the organisation's ongoing #ANCAUOutreach initiatives aimed at encouraging more Armenian-Australians to enter the field of politics and associated disciplines.
Kayserian added: “Our aim is also to cultivate an elite and well-trained generation of future Hai Tad Advocates, determined to continue the work of Armenians for generations to come. Previous Youth Advocates programs have testified that the Armenian cause in Australia has a bright future, and we anticipate more of the same from the 2021 cohort.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only a limited number of positions will be available. Those who are interested in participating must complete the form linked below by 30 September 2021.
SIGN UP NOW BY FILLING OUT AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM
