This season, AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC) once again actively supported youth-oriented summer initiatives, including the AGBU Global Leadership Program (GLP) and the Step Toward Home program led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs.
AGBU AVC contributed its online education expertise to help connect Diaspora youth with their Armenian heritage by providing valuable learning resources, hosting events, and enriching program content.
The GLP took place from June 15 to July 26 in Yerevan. It brought together 31 participants from the US, Hungary, Lebanon, and Great Britain to do internships at different organizations and foundations in Armenia.
AGBU AVC provided the participants with Western Armenian classes, as well as socio-cultural events, which made their experience in Armenia even more vibrant and immersive. The classes were held under the guidance of AGBU AVC Western Armenian Affairs Coordinator Zepur Kheblikian and AGBU AVC Senior Online Instructor Ani Dekirmenchyan.
The Step Toward Home (Qayl Depi Tun) program took place from June 13 to August 27. It hosted around 600 young participants from 20 countries. Teenagers aged 13 to 18 arrived in six cohorts to connect with Armenian culture and heritage through hands-on experiences.
Each group was welcomed at the AGBU Armenia office by AGBU AVC Partnership and Communications Specialist Kima Serobyan, who introduced them to AGBU AVC’s diverse educational programs, online courses, virtual communities, and additional learning resources.
Summer Term Highlights
As always, AGBU AVC online instructors continued to organize warm and informative cultural events for AGBU AVC e-learners. This time, they held an online social event called “Threads of Identity: Armenian Taraz Through Time,” where the students learned about Armenian traditional clothing and had a chance to ask questions and socialize with like-minded peers.
More than 940 e-learners from 63 countries enrolled in the online courses at the Armenian Language, Armenian History, Armenian Culture, and Chess departments.
With a productive and rewarding summer behind, AGBU AVC is now preparing for an engaging lineup of programs in the Fall term of 2025.
