The Shirvanian Youth Center in Gyumri, a basis of opportunity for local Armenian youth,
marks its ninth anniversary this month. Founded in July 2016, with the foundational
support of the Shirvanian family and guided by the We Are Gyumri Committee, the
Center has grown into one of the most impactful youth development spaces in the
Shirak region. While the official celebration will be held later this year, this milestone
offers a moment of reflection and renewed commitment.
For the past nine years, the Center has provided thousands of children and teens with
access to educational programs, cultural enrichment, civic engagement, and
community-building opportunities. Under the leadership of Director Susanna
Khotsanyan, alongside assistants Mary Zhamakochyan and Parandzem Piloyan, both
proud beneficiaries of the Mina Shirvanian Scholarship Program, and through strong
partnerships with local and international supporters, the Center has become a trusted
space where youth can grow, lead, and stay deeply connected to their Armenian
identity.
A key component of this broader mission is the Mina Shirvanian Scholarship Program,
one of the cornerstone initiatives of the We Are Gyumri campaign. The scholarship
program, which was launched in 2015, offers financial and mentorship support to
university students from Shirak Province. These students, in turn, give back to the
community by volunteering at the Youth Center, leading activities such as English
classes, creative writing workshops, and cultural programming throughout the year. The
interview and selection process for this year’s applicants is currently underway, and the
names of the 2025 scholarship recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.
This summer, the Center is once again preparing for its flagship Camp Amaras
program, which will welcome more than 225 children aged 6 to 16, including a large
number of displaced youth from Artsakh now living in Gyumri. The camp is named in
honor of the historic Amaras Monastery, home to the first Armenian school established
by Mesrop Mashtots. True to that legacy, Camp Amaras blends cultural education,
creative expression, and group connection into a two-week experience that inspires
pride, hope, and leadership in a new generation.
As the Shirvanian Youth Center enters its 10th year of service, it remains deeply
committed to its founding goal: to empower local youth with the tools, confidence, and
community they need to thrive. The work is far from finished, but the progress of the
past nine years stands as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when vision,
partnership, and purpose come together.
The mission of the We Are Gyumri committee is to create a positive and lasting impact
on youth in Gyumri, Armenia. The campaign restructured and renovated the Shirvanian
Youth Center in Gyumri that had been destroyed during the 1988 Spitak earthquake. A
year-round functional program was created at the Center to teach youth in Gyumri
everyday skills, to provide them with the essentials they need for a brighter future, and
to serve as a bridge between youth in Gyumri and their peers in the Diaspora. As
another component of the campaign, the We Are Gyumri Mina Shirvanian Scholarship
Fund is intended for residents of the Shirak Province to pursue their undergraduate
education in their native region. We Are Gyumri is an ARF Western U.S. Central
Committee initiative.
To follow the journey, stay updated, and see stories from camp this summer, follow us
on Instagram@shirvanianyouthcenter and Facebook
at @gyumriyouthcenter and @wearegyumri.
