
Նկար

AGBU made me realize that you do not have to speak the Armenian language to be Armenian. While the language is obviously very important, being Armenian is for me a commitment, a feeling of belonging to a cause that is part of a history that goes back nearly 3,000 years. It's a feeling that obviously manifests itself in culture, religion, values, and a shared memory, but above all it's a commitment and a fight for a better future.
Caroline is a member of the AGBU YP Zurich's Executive Committee and has been the co-chairwoman from 2020 to 2024. Originally from France, Caroline has been living in Zurich for 10 years and has worked in the banking sector. She has recently moved to consulting in strategy and sustainability-related regulations.
How did you get involved with AGBU?
I was born and grew up in Valence, one of the most Armenian towns in France, with almost 10% of its population being of Armenian origin. My youth was forged by both French and Armenian cultures as my family came to France in 1920s. Although we mostly spoke French at home to assimilate, I was immersed in Armenian events such as the commemorations of April 24, the traditional dance classes at the church, the annual fair and the regular visits to the Centre du Patrimoine Arménien.
Despite growing up with these opportunities, my personal involvement with AGBU and the surge in my Armenian identity mainly started with my move to Zurich in 2015. As an expatriate in a city I didn’t know, I felt a strong need to reconnect with my roots and, as such, my first friends in Zurich were of Armenian origin.
The Armenian community in Zurich may be small, but it's a very dynamic one and full of young, highly qualified professionals. There were few Armenian associations back in 2020 and my friends and I felt there was a gap to be filled. That's why, with a group of six friends including Elisabeth Istanboulli, Narine Altanian and Kevork Altanian who are still on the Committee to this day, we decided to create the YP Zurich Chapter, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. The early days were certainly difficult, as all our events were held online, but once the world went back to normal, our success grew, thanks to the tremendous work of our entire committee, the dedication of our extended team and of course the young professionals attending our events.
Finally, the 44-day war in 2020 reinforced my desire to commit myself to AGBU and to the Armenian cause in general. Since then, that commitment has continued to grow.
Why were you drawn to the organization?
One of AGBU's major strengths is its international dimension. The diversity of its programs such as the Global Leadership Program, ANI, AGBU ACT, as well as the quality of global events such as FOCUS or the General Assemblies are all valuable opportunities to connect Armenians from all over the world and to bring the diaspora closer to the motherland.
AGBU is not only the largest Armenian organization in the world but also an organization with a very professional structure. For anyone wishing to launch a new chapter or committee, teams all over the world are always ready to help and provide valuable advice, materials and a common strategy. There is also mutual support between the various international chapters and committees, with regular online meetings.
Can you please describe the goals of your committee and how it serves the local community?
Our main objective is to develop a professional network in which young Armenians in Zurich and German-speaking Switzerland can meet and exchange through socio-professional, educational, cultural and humanitarian events.
Since our launch in 2020, we have been delighted to see growth in our numbers with returning participants at each of our events, as well as new ones. The feedback we receive has been very positive and shows us that we have succeeded in creating a platform that our community enjoys using.
If you could describe your program in only 3 words, what would they be?
Solidarity, connecting, and continuity.
Participating in the relief effort for Armenia and Artsakh is extremely important to us. We have always made a point of contributing to AGBU's fundraising campaigns. We managed to raise thousands of Swiss francs for the YP Cares campaign in towards the displaced populations of Artsakh, during our benefit concert organized with violinist Chouchane Siranossian in December 2023 in Zurich.
Encouraging networking and professional exchanges within our community has always been at the heart of our mission. We make sure that each of our events gives young people the opportunity to exchange ideas and for example, we successfully organized panel discussions with renowned experts and entrepreneurs such as Vicken Cheterian and Mike Baronian.
Finally, we launched YP Zurich to ensure that the organization would prosper. Recently, we have strengthened our committee by recruiting four new members. We attach a great deal of importance to succession, so that our team of co-founders can pass on the torch to new generations who are just as motivated as we are to keep Armenian culture alive in Zurich.
Can you share with us some of your achievements and future plans for the committee?
One of the projects we're most proud of is certainly the YP Swiss Connect, co-organized with the YP Geneva team. It's now an annual event that brings together young Armenians from all over Switzerland for a weekend of cultural and festive events, fundraising and brainstorming sessions.
Lerna Bagdjian, Chair of YP Geneva, and I created this project when we returned inspired after FOCUS 2023Thanks to the remarkable work of our two teams, we brought the idea to life in October 2023 in Geneva. The second event took place in Zurich in November 2024. These events brought together between 70 and 80 young professionals from 10 Swiss cities and even from Germany, France, and Belgium. Our guests of honor included Central Board members Vartkess Knadjian and Camilio Azzouz.
What is one thing about AGBU that you wish people knew?
Beyond the international aspect of AGBU, I greatly appreciate all the programs that aim to bring the diaspora and the Armenians from the homeland closer together. I've been lucky enough to take part in three of them: the Business Mentors program, where I was able to coach a young Armenian from the United States studying finance; AGBU ACT, where I helped distribute basic necessities to displaced families from Artsakh; and ANI, which enabled me to help an Armenian woman in Yerevan improve her English language skills through online courses.
How has your involvement with AGBU shaped who you are with your family, friends, career?
AGBU made me realize that you do not have to speak the Armenian language to be Armenian. While the language is obviously very important, being Armenian is for me a commitment, a feeling of belonging to a cause that is part of a history that goes back nearly 3,000 years. It's a feeling that obviously manifests itself in culture, religion, values, and a shared memory, but above all it's a commitment and a fight for a better future.
The return to my roots led me to resume Western Armenian courses, thanks to AGBU's AVC (Armenian Virtual College) platform. It has also led me to act as an ambassador for Armenian identity and cultural heritage to my non-Armenian friends and colleagues. They have always been positively surprised by my pride in belonging to this culture. It's also very important for me to invite them to our events so they can better understand our culture with a hope that they will understand us and support us in our times of need.
On a personal note, what is your favorite Armenian tradition?
Being very attached to Armenia's culinary heritage, I learned traditional Armenian recipes from my grandmothers and mother. It's impossible for me to tell you which recipe is my favorite, because I love them all! For me, Armenian cuisine is a reflection of the millennia-old history of our people at the crossroads of different civilizations. It's a mirror of the diversity of ingredients and flavors that reflect the land enriched by the silk roads and family know-how. Traditions to be maintained and developed!