From June 28 to July the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western United States convened its 52nd Regional Convention, which assessed the biennial accomplishments of the outgoing Central Committee and formulated the sphere of activities for the upcoming two years.

The Convention concluded the following:

The ARF Western US Region, in adhering to the party’s Program and ideology, remains committed to its mission to defend and protect the human rights of Armenians everywhere, and resolutely defending every Armenian’s freedom of though and speech and their inalienable right to national self-determination and not being subject to economic exploitation.

The Convention also welcomes the popular movement through which a peaceful regime change took place in Armenia and defends the efforts to establish a fundamentally democratic, just and transparent system.

The Convention especially hails the effort to rid Armenia of widespread corruption and expresses its solidarity for complete rooting out of the said corruption.

The Convention also resolves the imperative for social justice in Artsakh.

The Convention also assessed and determined the imperative to nurture the ARF intellectuals and its press, which was established by the party’s Programmatic principles, World Congress decisions and since the party’s inception has been part and parcel of its tradition and has served as a forum for free expression, self-criticism and an arena for alternative and opposing opinions. At the same time, the convention resolved that it is only through such an uninhibited atmosphere that the ARF can, in an effective manner, advance its positions to its rank and file, supporters and opponents alike.

The Convention deemed positive the efforts by the outgoing Central Committee to reinforce the unity of the community and to harness its entire potential toward advancing the aspirations of the Armenian people and fighting for the Armenian Cause. It must be said that this strategy and the tactical moves in the region to that end have been a priority for the party for decades and we must be vigilant to preserve and strengthen it.

The Convention also positively assessed the activities of the AYF Camp, which works under the auspices of the Armenian Youth Federation, and is embarking on its fifth decade of service and has engaged thousands of young Armenians. Similarly praised was the annual AYF Youth Corps program, which serves as a bridge for the regions youth with their counterparts in the homeland. Also commended were the Armenian National Committee of America’s internship and Capital Gateway programs; the efforts to enhance Armenian schools; the successes of activities and programs by the ARS, Homenetmen and Hamazkayine, all of which come to strengthen the almost one million Armenians that live in this region.

And finally, the Convention concluded that our community must have complete input in realizing a future vision of a Free, Independent and United Armenia.

The Convention ended with the election of a new 11-member Central Committee comprised of the following members: Steve Dadaian, Razmig Haroun, Garo Ispendjian, Avedik Izmirlian, Toros Kejejian, Levon Kirakosian, Garo Madenlian, Mico Melkonian, Carmen Ohanian, Koko Topalian and Razmig Shirinian.