Glendale, CA – We Are Gyumri is proud to announce the upcoming launch of Camp Amaras2025, a powerful weeklong cultural and educational experience for over 170 children and teens from Gyumri and surrounding regions. This year, more than 20 percent of participants are displaced youth from Artsakh, now living in Gyumri after the 2023 handover. The camp will take place this July at the Shirvanian Youth Center in Gyumri, Armenia.
Since 2016, the Shirvanian Youth Center has stood as a place for identity-building, connection, and hope for Armenian youth. Camp Amaras2025 continues that mission with renewed purpose. Named after the historic Amaras Monastery in Artsakh, where Mesrop Mashtots founded the first Armenian school, the camp celebrates the power of heritage to heal, strengthen, and inspire.
The program will run in two sessions: July 14 to 19 for children ages 8 to 11, and July 21 to 26 for youth ages 12 to 16. Camp Amaras offers far more than just a summer activity. It is a sanctuary for children who have lost homes and stability. Through daily learning, laughter, and community, it gives them a renewed sense of belonging, pride, and possibility.
Participants will take part in lessons on Armenian history, traditional song and dance, nature excursions, creative workshops, and leadership-building activities. They will form friendships, discover talents, and feel the joy of being surrounded by people who care about who they are and where they come from.
To ensure that every child from Artsakh can attend free of charge, and to keep the program accessible to all families, We Are Gyumri is asking for support from donors, sponsors, and community members. Contributions will help cover meals, transportation, supplies, excursions, and the day-to-day operations that make this experience possible. Please click on link below to watch summer camp video and donate.
Camp Amaras is not just a program. It is a lifeline. It is a place where children rediscover joy, rebuild strength, and feel proud of who they are. It is an investment in the future of Armenia.
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.
