ARF Diaspora Conference to explore the future of Armenian Education

(LOS ANGELES) – Among the many topics to be examined at the upcoming Diaspora Conference in Los Angeles will be the evolving state of Armenian education in Diaspora communities. For more than a century, Armenian schools have served as one of the central pillars of Armenian communal life, transmitting language, culture, and historical consciousness across generations.

From the earliest schools established by genocide survivors to the network of day schools that exist today across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, Armenian education has played a decisive role in sustaining national identity outside the homeland. At the same time, changing demographic realities, new migration patterns, and evolving educational expectations have created new challenges for Armenian schools. For the ARF, these questions are not merely educational, but national and strategic. As a political organization long engaged in Armenian communal life, the ARF views Armenian education as one of the essential foundations of Diaspora continuity, civic consciousness, and collective self-organization. Schools do not simply transmit knowledge; they sustain the Armenian language, they help form identity, preserve historical memory, cultivate responsibility, and prepare younger generations to participate meaningfully in Armenian and communal life. Addressing the future of Armenian education is therefore inseparable from addressing the future strength, resilience, and direction of the diaspora itself. The conference will also explore opportunities for greater cooperation among Armenian schools across different diaspora communities.

The conference will bring together educators and school leaders to reflect on these developments and exchange experiences from their respective institutions. Among the invited participants are Lory Abrakian, Principal of Sourp Hagop Armenian School in Montreal, and Dr. Suzy Ohanian, Principal of Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School in Los Angeles. Both institutions have long served as anchors of Armenian educational life in their communities. Also contributing to the discussion will be Southern California–based educators and community leaders Sanan Shirinian and Mikanoush Melkonian-Ajemian.  

Their participation reflects the importance of Armenian day schools as centers of language preservation, cultural transmission, and community formation. At the same time, Armenian education today extends beyond traditional day school settings.

The conference will also include perspectives from educators working in innovative educational environments. Armine Alexan Papazian of the Thomas Edison Charter School will participate in discussions on Armenian-language immersion programs, where hundreds of Armenian-American students attend dual-language classes that integrate Armenian language instruction within broader public educational frameworks.

Dr. Lale Pakradounian will explore the complexities of politicization, or lack thereof, among Armenian youth in the Diaspora in a fast-paced, social media-driven, AI-shaped world. 

Discussions at the conference will not be limited to institutional models alone. Panels and working groups on Armenian education will also address broader questions facing Armenian teachers and educators, including the preparation of future teachers, the development of new pedagogical approaches, and the integration of modern teaching methodologies into Armenian-language instruction.

These conversations reflect a shared recognition that sustaining Armenian education in the diaspora requires not only commitment from individual schools, but also greater coordination across institutions and communities. The organizers hope that this conference will serve as the beginning of a broader and ongoing conversation. 

One of the hopes emerging from these discussions is the possibility of strengthening horizontal collaboration among Armenian schools and educators across different regions. By sharing experiences, curricular resources, and pedagogical innovations, Armenian educational networks may be able to leverage synergies and encourage greater cooperation in the years ahead.

As Diaspora communities continue to evolve, Armenian education will remain a central element in shaping how future generations connect with their heritage, language, and collective identity.

The Diaspora Conference will take place in Los Angeles in mid-March and will bring together educators, scholars, and community leaders from across the Armenian Diaspora. The gathering aims to encourage thoughtful reflection on the evolving role of the Armenian Diaspora and to foster dialogue across institutions and communities. In the weeks following the conference, a number of participants are expected to publish reflections and articles addressing some of the themes explored during the discussions.