General Karekin Njdeh (center) in Los Angeles in 1933 for the installation of the AYF “Mousa Dagh”, currently known as the “Mousa Ler” chapter
The founders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation—Kristapor (Mikaelian), Rosdom (Stepan Zorian) and (Simon) Zavarian—were young when they came together to unite a nation under siege by its Ottoman and Russian imperial rulers. So were other notable ARF members such as Papken Suni, General Dro, Karekin Njdeh to name a few, who pledged their lives to the liberation struggle of the Armenian Nation and became an eternal part of the pantheon of our national heroes.
This year, the ARF Western US Central Committee will mark the 127th anniversary of its founding on January 14 in an annual celebration that traditionally includes an accounting of its activities to the community and an outline of its continued commitment to the Armenian Cause and service to the people.
The celebration on Sunday will coincide with the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Armenian Youth Federation—the ARF’s youth organization. So, it’s only fitting to focus on the achievements of this venerable organization, which was founded on January 14, 1933 in Boston by General Karekin Njdeh.
The ARF, throughout its 127-year history, has flourished and advanced due to the active participation of its young members, as well as, since 1933, a vibrant AYF rank and file, who have propelled our national agenda, always adapting to innovation and progress, but never losing sight of the national goals and ideals of the organization.
The ARF decided to dispatch Njdeh to the United States to replicate what its founders did in the late 1890’s: bring together the Armenian youth who were in the throes of building Diaspora communities, which were at that point emerging due to the relocation of Armenians after the Armenian Genocide.
Njdeh was supposed to gather the diverse Armenian youth under one umbrella and organize them into an active force to advance the Armenian Cause and to ensure that future generations of Armenians, living outside the homeland, would cling to their identity and continue the fight for justice for the Armenian Nation.
Today, the AYF, which since its founding has become a vibrant international ARF youth movement, continues to be one of the more relevant Armenian youth organizations. Through innovative approaches and a commitment to advance the Armenian Cause, the AYF has been able to continue the Armenian liberation struggle throughout the decades in the Diaspora and, since 1991, in the homeland.
A few examples from recent years illustrate that the AYF not only is an active participant in community life, but is also a leader in advancing the cause.
A few years ago, the AYF of Western United States began work on university campuses by bringing together not just Armenian students, but also engaging the entire student body in an effort to urge university administrators to divest from Turkey. The “Divest Turkeyâ€
