U.S. STUDY OF ARMENIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY (THIRD & FINAL
PART)
14-12-2006 20:55:00 | USA | Articles and Analyses
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
We present this week the third and final segment of the
internal study prepared by the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan on the
Armenian-American community. The study points out the
significance of the community in terms of its influence on
Armenia and U.S.-Armenia relations. The study divides the
community into seven clusters. The remaining four clusters are
presented below:
4) "Small but Strong - The Armenian Protestant Community"
The study states: "While constituting only roughly 10-15
percent of the Armenian community in the United States, the
Armenian Protestant Community is generally considered the oldest
and one of the most prominent parts of the U.S. Diaspora. ...
This community's strongest centers of support are in New Jersey
and central and southern California. This group, while generally
active in initiatives related to genocide awareness, recognition
and study, does not subscribe to a specific political agenda on
Armenia-related issues. The Armenian Missionary Association of
America (AMAA) claims organizational links to the majority of
the Armenian Protestant churches and operates educational and
humanitarian programs that benefit Armenian communities in the
Republic of Armenia and in the Diaspora. Most experts agree that
this group, due to its relatively long history in the U.S., has
one of the strongest financial bases and the highest percentage
of high profile professionals in the United States today. The
Armenian Evangelical Union (AEU) represents a smaller portion of
the Armenian Protestant Community. Similar to the organizations
affiliated with the AMAA, AEU congregations sponsor locally
based cultural and educational initiatives as well as
humanitarian efforts in the Republic of Armenia."
5) "Armenian-American Catholic Organizations"
The study reports: "Armenian Catholics living in the United
States represent a small portion of the American-American
community (claiming a membership of roughly 35,000). Following
efforts to widen and strengthen its social and grassroots
structure in the late 1990's, however, the group emerged as a
well-organized group espousing conservative political and social
values in line with the teachings of the Armenian Catholic
Patriarchate (based in Lebanon)." The report states that there
are 10 Armenian Catholic parishes in the United States, most
them in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and New Jersey.
6) "Professional and Cultural Organizations on the Rise"
The study states that "a growing number of professional and
cultural associations have changed the face of the
Armenian-American community during the past two decades.
...Groups like the Armenian Network, Armenian Bar Association,
Armenian American International Women's Association and Armenian
Professional and Student Associations report increasing
membership and are expanding their activities."
7) "Humanitarian Groups and Private Foundations"
The study singles out the United Armenian Fund (UAF) for
high praise, stating that the UAF "is in a unique position among
Armenian-American organizations. ...Focused strictly on
humanitarian projects, it enjoys virtually universal support in
the community."
The study then covers the Hayastan All-Armenia Fund,
describing it as "a public-private hybrid endeavor with
significant political backing from the GOAM [Government of
Armenia] and Diaspora groups in the United States and France,
has raised funds for humanitarian and infrastructure projects in
Nagorno-Karabagh and Armenia since the early 1990's. The group
was designed by advisors to then President Levon Ter-Petrossian
as a mechanism to mobilize Diasporan financial support. While
subject to some internal political and claims of financial
mismanagement, the Hayastan All-Armenia Fund has maintained an
extremely high profile among international Diaspora
organizations and Armenian-Americans from the Los Angeles area
figure prominently on the organization's governing board. The
fund's annual telethon fundraiser is carried internationally via
cable networks to cities with large Armenian communities."
The study further states: "Individual Armenian-Americans
continue to wield considerable influence in Armenia through
private foundations and endowments such as The Lincy Foundation
and the Cafesjian Family Foundation." It then mentions the
multi-million dollar projects funded by these two entities,
calling The Lincy Foundation "one of the most significant
foreign donors in the country" and the Cafesjian Family
Foundation "a major player in Armenia's cultural and urban
planning circles."
Study's Conclusion
The study ends with the following concluding comments:
"Engaging the U.S.-based Diaspora as a whole remains an
important aspect of the GOAM's [Government of Armenia's] foreign
policy, economic development and public relations strategies.
The GOAM has increased its efforts to partner with the
Armenian-American community through conferences, outreach
products and by establishing a specialized office within the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While most GOAM policymakers
recognize the distinction between US Government policy and
Diaspora policy, they also appreciate the influence that the
latter plays on the former. All indications point to a growing
tendency on the part of GOAM to capitalize on this dynamic, as
the U.S.-Armenia bilateral relationship evolves."