On July 19, 2025, in a hall at the Hovnanian Foundation building, adjacent to Republic Square in Yerevan, the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society held the opening ceremony of its 30th annual student forum.
The program, which continues through July 31, has brought together 28 college and university students from various communities, including the United States, Lebanon, Syria, France, Canada, Australia, Russia, Georgia, Brazil, and Armenia and Artsakh.
Doing Donabedian, who is in charge of the forum, opened the ceremony with some remarks about the goals and history of the program, focusing on plans for the year at hand, including speakers and workshop leaders.
Greeting the students were Hamazkayin Central Executive Board chairperson Zakar Keshishian, board members Arevik Caprielian, Dikran Babigian, and Artashes Shahbazyan, and the intellectual Dikran Jinbashian. Shushig Arslanian and Seta Simonian of the first generation of the Forum spoke, as did Hamazkayin Yerevan Office manager Ruzan Arakelyan.
The speakers shone a spotlight on the importance of such gatherings, the persistence of Hamazkayin in organizing the forum for 30 years, the memories, the experience, and the need to continue.
A video familiarized participants with the work of Hamazkayin around the world.
After the formalities, the Nubar folk song and dance ensemble started the line dancing. Participants then went to the dance festival at Seasons Park and danced shoulder to shoulder in a festive atmosphere.
On July 20, the participants visited Garni and Geghard.
