Youth Campaign

The Land and Culture Organization in collaboration with the ecological club of the "ESPACE" youth center will be holding its annual "Faith and Heritage" youth campaign. Initiated by the late Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, "Faith and Heritage" campaigns were first orgainized in the years 2002 and 2003. In his memory, we continue his heritage of faith in the future of Armenia.
This year the campaign will be held in the Province of Vayots Dzor, well known for it's beauty and numerous historical monuments. Overall 100 volunteers are expected to participate. Divided into 2 groups, volunteers will take different routes from Yerevan to the region of Vayots Dzor. In three days, from June 25-27, the groups will clean the nearby territories of the cultural and historical monuments and hold meetings with the local population and authorities.
We invite all those above 18 years of age, willing to invest their time and physical energy in the active process of learning about our land and history and protecting it.
 

Direction
Yerevan – Areni - Noravank ... Martiros - Yeghegnadzor.

Yerevan – Shatin – Aghnjadzor ... Artavan – Yeghegnadzor.

 
 
Purpose:

1. Raise awareness and create responsibility towards the historic monuments of Armenia.
2. Preserve and improve Armenian churches, monasteries, khachkars (cross-stones) and other important cultural monuments.
3. Unite youth from Armenia and the Diaspora to assist them in discovering their land and its wealth.

Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian faithfully served the Armenian Church for half a century, including twenty years as the Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Eastern United States and Canada. From 1998, Archbishop Ashjian lived in Armenia where he did extraordinary charitable work including the care of orphans, the elderly and the re-transmission of the faith to the people after 70 years of Communist rule. He brought back to life centuries-old monasteries and churches, and published hundreds of books. He himself wrote many articles and at least three dozen books in Armenian and English. He was also one of the founders of LCO-USA and later LCO-Armenia. Archbishop Ashjian was born in Beirut, Lebanon. After completing theological and armenological studies, he went on to receive two Master’s degrees from the Princeton Theological Seminary. His Eminence died of a massive heart attack in 2003 at the age of 62. Throughout his service he approached his duties with love and an enthusiasm that earned the love and respect of those around him.


  
 
"LCO is an amazing concept. It introduced the deprived Diasporan to their land and their people. It is a wonderful introduction to Armenia and something every young man or woman should experience."
Madlene Minassian Ispirian, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, Yerevan, Armenia
last updated February 06, 2007
© Land and Culture Organization 2007
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