Armenians with the UN gather in New York City

“How are Armenians involved with the United Nations today?” This question was the focus of an unusual, if not overdue, forum held on May 15, 2026, at Fordham University in New York City, with 30 Armenians who serve in diverse parts of the United Nations. In addition to the Armenian Mission to the United Nations since 1992, more than 100 talented Armenians are now scattered throughout the sprawling U.N. system — its member states, agencies such as UNICEF and WHO, and its 6,657 ECOSOC-recognized nongovernmental organizations.  This four-part forum began with welcome messages from three experts. Bryan Ardouny, the director of the Armenian Assembly of America, spoke about his new leadership role in the Conference on Non-Governmental Organizations at the U.N.  Ardouny introduced Peter Preziosi, who described his role as the new president of CoNGO. Zhirayr Ananyan described his years of diplomatic work with the mission representing the Republic of Armenia at the U.N. — a small but active team, especially on human rights.  Several experts then briefly described their diverse roles among the U.N.-affiliated NGOs: Emma Arakelyan, Houry Geudelekian, Ani Kalayjian, Souren A. Israelyan, Arpine Korekyan, Talin Daghlian, Harold Takooshian and Anahid Ugurlyan. These messages led to an open discussion about Armenians at the United Nations. Because of limited time, many participants suggested gathering again soon for a more focused discussion of how Armenians can better network across the U.N. system. Afterward, some participants stayed for one-on-one conversations over refreshments. In response to popular demand, a second forum will be held in June 2026.  During the forum, attorney Bryan Ardouny accepted an Outstanding Achievement Award for his 21 years of leadership of the Armenian community and the Armenian Assembly of America.  Harold Takooshian edits a series of books with the U.N. and invited proposals for a timely volume on any aspect of Armenians working with the United Nations.  This forum was organized by seven community associations: the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), the Armenian Bar Association (ArmenBar), the Armenian Behavioral Science Association (ABSA), the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA), the Armenian Relief Society (ARS), Meaningful World and Orion Worldwide Innovations. For more information, contact [email protected]  The post Armenians with the UN gather in New York City appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.