Los Angeles-On January 16, 2016, more than one hundred guests gathered in the charming home and among the scenic terraces of Mardik and Aleen Oruncakciel to express their support for Armenia’s pioneering think-tank, the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS).
After welcoming remarks by the hosts, the participants took in a report about ACNIS's mission and activities by its founder, the honorable Raffi K. Hovannisian, who detailed both the favorable progress and the contemporary challenges facing Armenia and its people the world over. He thanked the Oruncakciel family for its steadfast solidarity in trailblazing initiatives which strengthen the Armenian Nation, and shared his vision of a new Hayastan as the source and inspiration for present and future generations of compatriots across the globe. "We all must assume responsibility for a piece of our holy rock, and become stakeholders in the empowerment of the land we so love," he said.
Upon viewing a brief video summary of the Center's record of public service during the past two decades (available at www.acnis.am), the guests gladly accepted and cheered two visiting high-school exchange students from Armenia, Anna Minassian and Armine Gasparyan, who offered their thoughts and sentiments about the Homeland's future and highlighted the role of the youth in making the Armenian dream come true.
Ara Dabandjian, the musician-maestro of the Element Band, enchanted the evening with creative renditions of Armenian songs and melodies.
"Aleen and I are pleased to have hosted this informative gathering for the Diaspora’s critical thinkers and to encourage others to stand behind ACNIS and similarly-worthwhile endeavors in Armenia. We are grateful to those who accepted our invitation and helped raise spirits and resources for this noble purpose," concluded Mardik Oruncakciel.
The Armenian Center for National and International Studies is a leading strategic research center headquartered in Yerevan. As a non-profit institution committed to conducting professional multi-disciplinary research and analysis, it strives to raise the level of pan-national discourse and seeks to broaden civic engagement in the policy-making process, thus fostering greater and more inclusive public knowledge. Founded in 1994 by Raffi Hovannisian, Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs, ACNIS has acquired over the years a prominent reputation as a primary source of independent expertise covering a wide range of national and international policy issues.
