CANBERRA: The Armenian National Committee of Australia's (ANC-AU) inaugural ANC-AU Youth Advocates Program has attracted 18 successful young Armenian-Australian applicants, who will spend two days in Parliament House in Canberra.

These young Armenian-Australians – from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth - and one Armenian-New Zealander will practice the art of political debate and advocacy in a Program that has earned the support of the ANC-AU Internship Program's Hagop Kortian Scholarship.

While the Scholarship is to help facilitate the placement of Armenian-Australian students into political and other offices of influence, the Kortian family has dedicate part of their 2018 commitment of $10,000 to ensure the ANC-AU Youth Advocates Program is accessible to as many youth as possible, some of whom may be future applicants to the Scholarship.

After undergoing theoretical training by members of the ANC-AU, the Young Advocates will participate in a Parliamentary Discussion, which will be presided over by Trent Zimmerman MP and Joel Fitzgibbon MP.

They will also be split into smaller groups, who will visit actual politicians' offices to conduct mock advocacy on a current issue of national debate. Among the politicians who have agreed to receive the ANC-AU Young Advocates are Senator Kristina Keneally, Tim Wilson MP, John Alexander MP, Peter Khalil MP, Jason Falinski MP and Julian Hill MP.



"The Program is designed to give young Armenian-Australians a first-hand insight into the inner workings of Parliament in Canberra, from the point of view of politicians and those lobbying for issues of importance to their constituents," explained ANC-AU Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.

"We thank the 18 ANC-AU Young Advocates of 2018 for their commitment to participate, and to the Kortian family who have generously helped make this a possibility in memory of their husband and father, Mr. Hagop Kortian, who was a founding force of Hai Tad."

The ANC-AU Young Advocates Program is part of ANC-AU Advocacy Week, which will include high-level meetings with Australian political leaders, and conclude with a celebration of the year in advocacy at the ANC-AU Annual Banquet (click here for details).