YEREVAN, Armenia–Share-a-Pair, part of The Paros Foundation’s 100 for 100 Projects for Prosperity, has successfully distributed more than 25,000 pairs of new shoes to Armenia’s most needy children.

Thanks to the support of generous sponsors and a major U.S. shoe manufacturer, The Paros Foundation staff and its volunteers and non-governmental organization partners, coordinated the effort to distribute shoes to children in need. Shoes were distributed to children in 11 orphanages, 8 boarding schools, 12 NGOs, and in14 cities and more than 100 villages throughout Armenia. Volunteers from Armenia, Sweden and the United States joined together in this ambitious distribution effort.

“Share-a-Pair embarked on the daunting task of putting shoes on the feet of children in Armenia’s most isolated and economically challenged villages and regions.” Said Peter Abajian, Executive Director of The Paros Foundation. “Paros Foundation Staff and volunteers visited more than 100 villages using kindergartens and schools as distribution points within a 3-month period.”

“Working to get shoes to children in the villages was exhausting.” Said Kristen Abajian, co-founder of Share-a-Pair. “Long drives on terrible roads, beautiful scenery and difficult conditions in the villages made this experience an emotional one for all of us. Seeing happy children and smiling faces made it all worth while.”

The Paros Foundation has produced a short nine-minute video featuring the shoe distribution process and some of the beneficiaries. The video is available by calling (310) 400-9061, or can be found on the Foundation’s website www.paros-foundation.org, facebook page or on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_17oYhBSrP0).

“When we started Share-a-Pair 18 months ago, our goal was clear and within reach—put 1,000 pairs of new shoes on the feet of needy Armenian children. I am so thankful that with the support of a selfless group of volunteers and donors, we were able to not only reach, but also far exceed our original goal. Now our focus shifts to warm winter boots,” said co-founder Bridget Abajian.

The Share-a-Pair team has now launched an effort to put warm winter boots on the feet of Armenia’s needy children called “Operation Winter Boots.” Donations are welcome in any amount, and a $20 donation will ensure a child’s feet stay warm in Armenia this winter.

The Paros Foundation was formally launched in 2006 and is based in Berkeley, California. Its Chairman, Roger Strauch, and Executive Director, Peter Abajian, have a long history of working with Armenia and the Armenian-American community to support Armenia’s rich culture and heritage, improve the lives of people with disabilities and to create positive opportunities for Armenia’s children. In 2011, The Paros Foundation launched its Paros 100 for 100, Projects for Prosperity initiative to properly commemorate the centennial of the Armenian Genocide through the implementation of 100 special projects benefiting Armenia and her people. The Paros Foundation is not affiliated with the Ghazarian family’s Paros “Lighthouse” Charitable Foundation.

For more information and to get involved, please visit www.paros-foundation.org.

Yerevan, Armenia—Sixteen high-school students from The College Preparatory School in Oakland, California had the unique and exciting opportunity to meet with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern to discuss the mission of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia as part of their recent journey to Armenia. While at the Embassy, students also heard from several senior staff about careers in the U.S. Foreign Service.

In addition to being hosted at the U.S. Embassy, the delegation of 16 students and representatives from the School and The Paros Foundation visited the ROA Foreign Ministry and met with H.E. Amb. Vahe Gabrielyan, head of the Armenia’s Diplomatic Academy, and several historic and cultural sites throughout Armenia including riding on the aerial tramway to the magnificent Monastery of Tatev.

As part of their visit, the students from The College Preparatory School were introduced to several students from the Manana Youth Center, where they each had a unique opportunity to interact with one another as peers. During the visit, both groups of students participated in the ground breaking and clearing of the future site of “Ari’s Playground,” one of the Paros 100 for 100, Projects for Prosperity initiatives currently underway. Ari’s Playground is being built at the Yerevan Children’s Home in Nork, Armenia, which houses more than 80 children ages 0-6 years of age. Ari’s Playground is being named after Ari Spiglanin, who was adopted from the Yerevan Children’s Home more than 2 years ago by Lauren and Tom Spiglanin, who have taken the initiative to raise the funds necessary to complete this exciting project. For more information about Ari’s Playground visit www.paros-foundation.org/paros100/.

Founded in 1960, The College Preparatory School is an independent coeducational day school, grades 9-12 for intellectual risk-takers who want to pursue a serious, purposeful education with others who feel the same way. The College Preparatory School has been ranked by the Wall Street Journal and by Forbes.com as one of the top independent high schools in the nation.

Formally launched in 2006, The Paros Foundation’s goal is to develop high-quality, high-integrity non-governmental organizations in Armenia by providing guidance and needed resources. This includes providing inspiring office space; free of charge, to three of the six organizations The Foundation works with in Armenia. To honor the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, The Paros Foundation launched The Paros 100 for 100, Projects for Prosperity program to implement 100 special projects, to help grow Armenia stronger and improve the lives of her people.

The College Preparatory School delegation was made possible through the support of The Paros Foundation.

From One of the Participants:

American Students Visit Armenia
On Tuesday April 3, 2012, 16 jet-lagged American teenagers and two faculty members arrived at Zvartnots Armenian International Airport. We planned to spend 11 days touring the beautiful and culturally rich country of Armenia. My fellow students and I attend The College Preparatory School in Oakland. Our group ranged in age from 14-18 years old and came from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Many students had yet to travel outside North America. The idea for the trip came from Roger Strauch, the founder of Paros Foundation. Peter Abajian, Paros’ Executive Director, organized the itinerary and logistics. Beginning in October, we students raised funds from food sales and school wide car washes. Eventually, we were ready for this unique opportunity and once in a lifetime experience.

Our itinerary was packed with adventure. At the airport, we were met by the chief coordinator, Pete, our energetic tour guide, Marina, our good friend and trip assistant Harutoun, our nationally famous bus driver, Varek, and of course, Roger. We immediately set off for our “home” passing by a little Las Vegas, Drunken Bridge, the National Assembly grounds, and the president’s house.

On the first day, the group visited key tourist destinations in Yerevan. First thing in the morning, we climbed aboard our bus named “Cool Bus” and headed for Mother Armenia, an enormous statue at the top of the city visible from anywhere in Yerevan. At the same site, we saw the war memorial, which is dedicated to unidentified Armenian soldiers KIA during WW1 and the Azerbajian war. We then visited the modern art museum in the Cascade, which features famous art pieces connected with ancient Armenian history and awesome glass sculptures. Afterwards, we ate delicious chicken kebab sandwiches and made a quick visit to St. Gregory’s, Armenia’s largest church located in central Yerevan. The same day, we were honored to meet the United States Ambassador, the Honorable John Heffern, and his senior staff at the embassy itself. We visited and befriended the children of the Manana Youth Center, the leading organization in Armenia that provides kids with the technology and professional guidance for movie making and journalistic photography. We paired up with Manana high school students who were were English speaking. They showed us some of their brilliant, beautiful, and touching movies and the rooms where they filmed and edited many of these films. We all met for dinner later that night, and after warming up to our new friends, we all danced to traditional and classy live Armenian music in the center of the restaurant. It was incredibly fun.

On Day 2, the combined student group of about 35 people visited Samosavank monastery, located on the edge of a 2,000 ft. deep canyon. There we learned about the geology of the area and the history of the Church. We of course also found time to have a huge snowball fight! That afternoon our large group worked on a service project to clear out the yard of an orphanage so that the Paros Foundation could begin construction of a wading pool and play area. That night, we invited the Manana kids to a homemade American lasagna dinner, and together we worked several hours to make an entertaining stop motion pixilation film.

The third day consisted of the Manana and Prep kids bussing to the ancient pagan temple at Garni. After Garni, we drove, while playing some pretty crazy Armenian kids games, to the monastery complex at Geghard and explored the seven different chapels built into the mountain. We then drove back to Yerevan and toured the National History Museum in Republic Square. At this museum, our proud and knowledgeable tour guide showed us ancient wheels, golden jewelry, the world’s oldest shoe, and enormous food cauldrons. On our way home via subway, innocent Charlie, a 6’8” Prep basketball player, thought he that he should take some pictures of the “Armenian Underground” to show to his family.  Alas, poor Charlie was arrested because the subway system is also a bomb shelter. Fellow Prep student Dina’s awesome Russian-speaking skills came to the rescue, and he was let out with only a warning.

On Day 4, the group perused the market of Vernissage where the Prep students purchased all sorts of fun merchandise including old Soviet military medals, a Soviet stopwatch and dysfunctional spyglasses, duduks, teeshirts, and bracelets. After that, we bussed to lunch at Lake Sevan and wound up the path to take pictures of the beautiful lake and landscape. On the path, we met a famous stone carver who was diligently working on his next piece while overlooking the spectacular scenery. We then traveled to the ancient city of Dilijan and watched some pottery being made. That night, barbeque dinner was at an enormous restaurant equipped with a jumpy house for kids, a dance floor and stage, a Las Vegas style fountain, and 1,400 of our best Armenian friends.

The next day was Easter. We were fortunate enough to attend Badarak at Holy Etchmiazin and then engage in a traditional egg cracking competition at the Armenian Cultural Center. Later the group was taken to the Genocide Memorial where we laid a wreath at the eternal flame, but unfortunately the
museum itself was closed. The next day, we climbed down St. Gregory’s pit at Khor Virap, and then drove many hours to Tatev Monastery. To reach the secluded fortress, we had to take the world’s longest sky tramway. We then explored the labyrinth of rooms dug into the mountain. That night, the group stayed in a hotel in the village of Goris and walked around in the hills looking for all the caves where the locals keep their cattle. The next morning, the group visited the Stonehenge of Armenia, Karahunge, and then we took the long winding road, through a canyon, to Noravank monastery. We had to climb a narrow, ancient staircase to access the sanctuary.

After an exhausting week of travel, we returned to Yerevan for our last full day in Armenia. We visited Grand Candy, the Foreign Ministry,
and then had a fantastic party with the Manana kids celebrating a successful trip. Besides being fun and a first class adventure, Armenia broadened all of our horizons, and many of the students have said that they want to return to Armenia with their families in the future.

Written by: Alex Kulhanjian Strauch
The College Preparatory School Class of 2014

White Lake Township, MI—A Barbie, a new shiny bike or perhaps even a puppy… these are the types of gifts one would expect a four year old to ask for on her fifth birthday. Not Mia! This Michigan based young lady can teach many of us about the spirit of giving. She decided that for her 5TH birthday, she wanted all of her friends and family to come to her party and bring a new pair of winter boots for needy children in Armenia.

“I saw a little girl on TV that decided to deliver boots to an orphanage. I thought maybe I could do that because we both have lots of stuff already,” said Mia.

Her mom, Debbie Dalbis, contacted the Detroit Chapter of share-a-pair, a project of The Paros Foundation to see if Mia’s wish could be fulfilled and the boots that she was aiming to collect actually get onto the feet of needy children in Armenia. On May 19th, family and friends gathered to celebrate Mia’s 5th birthday. The net result is this special five year-old’s wish came true. This winter, almost 200 children (that is 400 feet!) will have warm and dry feet thanks to Mia’s selflessness, her mom’s commitment to her community, and the generosity of Mia’s family and friends.

“Mia is an incredible little girl and with the support of her family, has done an incredible thing. “Said Peter Abajian, Executive Director of The Paros Foundation. “We will ship these new boots to Armenia and distribute them to vulnerable children this fall so they can wear the boots this winter.”

Share-a-pair has distributed more than 12,600 pairs of shoes to vulnerable children in Armenia. Distributions will continue through the month of July during a regional distribution campaign, during which an additional 12,200 pair will put on the feet of children in need. Share-a-pair was started in 2010 with a fixed goal of collecting and distributing 1,000 pairs for Armenia’s children. It has since met the initial goal and has grown into a substantial humanitarian effort.

Formally launched in 2006, The Paros Foundation’s goal is to develop high-quality, high-integrity non-governmental organizations in Armenia by providing guidance and needed resources. This includes providing inspiring office space; free of charge, to three of the six organizations The Foundation works with in Armenia. To honor the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, The Paros Foundation launched The Paros 100 for 100, Projects for Prosperity program to implement 100 special projects, to help grow Armenia stronger and improve the lives of her people. For more information on The Paros Foundation or the Paros 100 for 100 Projects for Prosperity visit www.paros-foundation.org/.

Beverly Hills, CA—Imelda Marcos, Philippine President Ferdinand Marco’s widow, refuted her reputation of excess by saying “I did not have 3,000 pairs of shoes, I had 1,060.”

While some dream of having that many pairs of shoes to choose from each day, many children in Armenia lack the basic necessity of a simple pair of sturdy shoes. The Share-a-Pair project of The Paros Foundation (www.parosfoundation.org) recently completed the distribution of 500 pairs of shoes to children in need in Armenia.

“This trip we focused our distributions on school shoes and winter boots for children at four of Armenia’s orphanages in and around Yerevan, Gavar and Vanadzor,” said Kristen Abajian. “It was really fulfilling to see the end result of our efforts. These children will now have a decent pair of shoes to wear to school. Early next year, we hope to have secured enough support to begin distributing shoes to needy children in the villages and other regions of Armenia.”

“The need for shoes for children is pretty much never ending, both because of the extreme change of seasons and the fact that these children are growing.” Said Bridget Abajian.

South Bay Chapter Founder Sofia Dilsizian commented, “The donors and supporters that met our request for funding and shoes made this effort possible and deserve a lot of thanks.”

“No one needs 1,060 pairs of shoes,” said Kristen Abajian, “but every kid needs a single pair of dependable shoes or boots. My goal is to make sure that no child goes to school without a decent pair of shoes on their feet.”

Share-a-Pair is able to purchase one quality pair of shoes for $10. Donations are welcomed in any amount. 100% of the proceeds will be spent buying new shoes. Donations of new practical shoes in all sizes are also appreciated and welcomed. Donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

For more information, please visit “http://www.paros-foundation.org/shareapair” or look for us and follow us on Facebook, search for “share a pair”.

Kristen and Bridget Abajian founded share-a-pair as a direct result of their experience living in Armenia and their subsequent visits seeing the difficult conditions of many of Armenia’s needy children and orphans. Sofia Dilsizian immediately joined the effort and founded the first
Share-a-Pair chapter in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Kristen, Bridget and Sofia have been friends since they were each three years old. All are currently high school seniors.

Paros Chamber Choir Awarded Gold Medal

On May 18th, the Paros Chamber Choir performed a well attended concert organized at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.  Among the capacity crowd were several representatives of the Republic of Armenia government including the Chairman of National Assembly, Minister and Vice-Minister of Culture, Vice-Minister of Labor and Social Issues and several Members of Parliament.  Prior to the concert, the Vice-Minister of Culture made a special presentation of a Gold Medal to Mr. Armen Alaverdyan, Executive Director of Unison, NGO and Director of the Paros Chamber Choir, “for great contribution in spreading choral art throughout Armenia and effective public activities.”  Alaverdyan graciously accepted this award and encouraged the Chairman of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamian to consider granting the Paros Choir with official State status. Abrahamian positively responded to this request and invited the choir to perform at the National Assembly Park a month later.  The concert and award presentation was covered by all major Armenian media.

Paros Chamber Choir and Maestro Mikaelian Perform Vivaldi’s Gloria

At three major performances around Yerevan, The Paros Chamber Choir and the Yerevan Komitas Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, both conducted by Maestro Raffi Mikaelian, impressed audiences with an inspiring performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria.

The May 18th Concert at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts was “standing room only” and the enthusiastic audience was treated to beautiful music in an incredibly beautiful gallery of world renowned glass art.  The concert was organized as part of the International Day of Museums.

On May 24th, Maestro Raffi Mikaelian impressed the audience of more than 1,200 people at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall, conducting both Choir and Orchestra in this combination Gala Concert and Graduation Ceremony.  Mikaelian led the Orchestra through Beethoven’s Coriolan, then led both the Paros Choir and the Orchestra through Vivaldi’s Gloria and concluded the second part of the Concert with Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.

On June 21st, the grounds of the National Assembly provided a beautiful setting for another performance by the Choir and Orchestra.  Hovik Abrahamian, Chairman of the National Assembly again thanked the Choir and upheld his pledge to grant State status to the Choir.  The Concert was well attended by both members of the Parliament, staff members and the public at large.

Ghoghanj Children’s Center Benefits from Paros Volunteers

For the last six months, the students at the Ghoghanj Children’s Center have benefited from the volunteer efforts of several volunteers that were connected with the Center through Paros Foundation efforts. During the school year, husband and wife team, Mathew and Annie Ash volunteered regularly working with the children on design, English and computer classes. In July, Corey and Stephanie Dolik and Jennifer Tosoian volunteered working with the students in theater and design class. The children truly benefited from this experience and are looking forward to return visits.

The Paros Foundation stands ready to assist other individuals who are searching for a meaning volunteer experience working with one of the six Paros supported projects in Armenia.

Ghoghanj Children’s Center Successfully Launches Computer Classes

Thanks to a generous donation by the Goshtigian Family from Los Angeles, Ghoghanj successfully launched an introductory computer class for students this spring. This inaugural class consisted of seven students ages 12 to 16, and was taught by Dn. Matthew Ash, a seminarian of the Gevorkian Seminary and former IT specialist. The students have covered topics beginning with introductory computer concepts and reached Internet communication and research tools. It is continuing with a review of online learning resources and an introduction to Microsoft Office.

“It’s amazing how much information we can find on the Internet,” said Anahid Ghalumyan (Age 15), “this is going to change the way I learn.”

Ghoghanj’s computer classes are giving students an important advantage that will increase their opportunities for success and provide them with valuable skills.

Special Note: The Ghoghanj computer class is in need of good quality new or used laptop computers. If you would like to donate one, please contact peter@paros-foundation.org.

Government of Norway Grants Support 

Thanks to the Government of Norway and Mr. Timothy Straight, the Honorary Consul of the  Royal Norwegian Consulate, projects from the Manana Youth Center and Unison NGOs have received needed funding for their implementation.

The Manana Youth Films studio received a grant to go to Turkey and film on the Turkish side of the border for its work on the “Neighbor’s” film project. The film is being produced with the support of Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Armenia Turkey Cinema Platform organized by Golden Apricot International Film Festival and Anadolu Kultur. The Manana Youth Center also received funding to help operate its film studio classes for students.

The Unison, NGO, which advocates for the rights of people with disabilities in Armenia, won a grant to organize a regional conference on disabilities. The Conference will include partner organizations in Iran and Georgia. The Virtual Conference will take place via the internet and link the three conference locations together providing access and maximizing participation. The conference goals are to begin developing regional relationships to address, compare and contrast the situation of people with disabilities in these neighboring countries. As part of the project grant, relevant conference materials will be translated and posted to a common website accessible by all.

Manana Youth Film Crew Hits a Hurdle

In an unexpected and frustrating twist to the production of the “Neighbors” film project, the Manana Youth Film Crew was prohibited from filming in the Turkish Border area despite already having received relevant permissions from the Turkish authorities. “Neighbors” is focused on two border villages—one on the Armenian side and one on the Turkish side of the border. Filming has progressed well in the Armenian village, and the film and its premise has already won accolades. Thanks to recent funding for the film (see previous story) the four member crew departed with permissions in hand to Turkey only to arrive and be told that the permissions they were issued were not the required ones. After a couple of days of trying to obtain the final permission to film, the crew decided to return to Yerevan and return to film at a later date.

About The Paros Foundation

The Paros Foundation works with six organizations in Armenia involving the arts, children and people with disabilities. These organizations are recognized as leaders in their respective fields. Our support comes in the form of organizational operating funds, office space and operational resources and mentoring.

The mission is help these modest size projects manage their growth and attract more financial, human, and physical resources to their respective causes.
We have built a staff of travelling and in-country resources that other individuals or organizations may choose to utilize to implement their project and support their efforts to improve the quality of life and culture in Armenia.

The Foundation welcomes the involvement of our friends around the world.

Donations to The Paros Foundation, a 501(c)3 private foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Representatives Pallone and Speier Hold Community Forum in Oakland

Oakland, CA—More than 160 members of the Armenian community in the Bay Area gathered at St. Vartan’s Armenian Church to discuss Armenian American issues with Representatives Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) on March 30, 2010.  The Forum was co-hosted by the Paros Foundation and St. Vartan’s Armenian Church, in cooperation with the Armenian Assembly of America’s Northern California Regional Council.

The evening proved to be both informative and interesting.  During brief opening statements, Pallone and Speier presented their thoughts on a number of relevant issues including the Armenian Genocide Resolution, Aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, the prospects of a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno Karabakh issue, in addition to healthcare and financial reform legislation.  Following brief opening statements, the audience was encouraged to submit questions of interest to both Members of Congress.  The discussion was co-moderated by Dr. Julie Kulhanjian and David Ojakian, who did an excellent job of pairing together and presenting the many questions on behalf of the audience.

In response to a question regarding the Turkey – Armenia Protocols, Congressman Pallone, who has served as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues since its founding, indicated that although the ratification of the Protocols seem stalled, law makers and the administration in Washington applauds Armenia’s openness to take this controversial step with no pre-conditions.

Answering a question on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, that had recently passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congresswoman Speier pointed to the fact that a policy of denial hurts the development of Turkish society as a whole.

“We took the initiative to organize this evening’s event with Pallone and Speier because we feel strongly that our community must remain engaged with the U.S. Armenia relationship and our friends in Washington.”  Said Peter Abajian, Executive Director of The Paros Foundation, “Tonight was a really special evening in that we brought together two champions of our cause and a strong cross-section of the Bay Area Armenian community.  We express our appreciation to all the organizations that co-hosted and cooperated for the success of this event.”

Frank Pallone represents New Jersey’s Sixth Congressional District and was just sworn in to his 11th term in office.  Pallone serves as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues pertaining to energy, environment, health care, commerce and telecommunications.  He also chairs the Committee’s powerful Subcommittee on Health.

Representative Jackie Speier represents California’s 12th Congressional District, encompassing the southwest quarter of San Francisco and most of adjacent San Mateo County. She was first elected in April of 2008 after eighteen years in the California Legislature. She serves on the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.  Representative Speier is a staunch advocate in Congress for issues important to the Armenian American community.

Launched officially in 2006, The Paros Foundation works with six organizations in Armenia which involve the arts, children and people with disabilities. These organizations are recognized as leaders in their respective fields. Foundation support comes in the form of organizational operating funds, office space and operational resources and mentoring. The mission is help these modest size projects manage their growth and attract more financial, human, and physical resources to their respective causes. The Foundation has built a staff of travelling and in-country resources that other individuals or organizations are encouraged to utilize to implement their project and support their efforts to improve the quality of life and culture in Armenia.

BAY AREA ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TO HOST REPRESENTATIVES PALLONE AND SPEIER

Berkeley, CA – On Tuesday, March 30th at 7:00 p.m. U.S. House of Representative Members Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) will engage the Bay Area Armenian community in an evening of lively discussion. The event is organized by the Paros Foundation and St. Vartan’s Armenian Church, in cooperation with the Armenian Assembly of America Northern California.The event will take place at St. Vartan’s Armenian Church, 650 Spruce Street, Oakland, CA 94610, telephone: 510-893-1671.

Event is open to the public and admission is free.

Frank Pallone represents New Jersey’s Sixth Congressional District and was just sworn in to his 11th term in office. Pallone serves as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues pertaining to energy, environment, health care, commerce and telecommunications. He also chairs the Committee’s powerful Subcommittee on Health. Representative Pallone has served as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues since its inception.

Jackie Speier represents California’s 12th Congressional District, encompassing the southwest quarter of San Francisco and most of adjacent San Mateo County. She was first elected in April of 2008 after eighteen years in the California Legislature. She serves on the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Representative Speier is a staunch advocate in Congress for positions on issues important to the Armenian American community.

 

On February 27th, Paros Foundation Chairman Roger Strauch, and Executive Director Peter Abajian joined the teachers, staff, children, family and friends of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center to celebrate the opening of their new location.
The Center is well located in a newly renovated space, provided to Ghoghanj rent-free by The Paros Foundation, at Moskovyan 38, Apt. 2, in downtown Yerevan.

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Venture capitalist Roger Strauch discusses Armenia

Roger Strauch is a first generation American who resides with his family in the Bay Area. He is a successful venture capitalist and chairperson of The Roda Group, which works primarily with cutting-edge high-tech firms. He has built and run several public companies and he has co-founded private companies that have been sold to industry leaders, including HP and Logitech. He is a well-known philanthropist who generously supports education and arts programs in the United States and Armenia. So, why does Mr. Strauch have a passion for things Armenian and why does he frequently travel to Armenia?

The Armenian Reporter had an opportunity to interview Roger Strauch recently.

The Strauch Kulhanjian Family during a visit to the historic Monastery Complex at Datev. Pictured left to right: Nairi, Paul, Alex, Roger and Julie.

AR: Roger, could you please tell our readers about your background and how you became a venture capitalist.

RS: Growing up, my family lived in Massachusetts and I successfully launched my first company while in high school. My company employed a team of technicians that provided services to the R & D departments of high-tech Route 128 businesses. I attended Cornell University for my undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and Stanford University for my master’s degree in electrical engineering. I very much enjoy developing an idea into a successful business model, and with the technology in the world changing so rapidly, I focused on the high-growth market of telecommunications. I co-founded a company that I ran for 14 years and when I retired from that venture, I wanted to do for others what my original investors did for me – create an environment that would attract and support the success of ambitious, hardworking entrepreneurs with clever ideas that could solve big problems in enormous markets.

AR: As a venture capitalist, how do you work with a company and what have been some of your successes?

RS: Generally speaking, we are a business-incubator type venture capitalist. We put up the initial funds to validate an idea in the form of a business. The Roda Group, a company that I formed with my college buddy, Dan Miller, not only invests financial resources into companies that we see as having a potential for growth, but also invests the human resources of management and mentorship. Dan and I currently sit on the boards of only 5 or 6 companies. In addition, we have successfully launched a few companies of our own, including PolyServe, which we recently sold to HP. The Roda Group launched Ask Jeeves, now Ask.com, which was sold to Barry Diller’s IAC and more recently, we were actively involved with SightSpeed, a voice and video IP conferencing on line service provider that we sold to Logitech late last year.

AR: In February, you were in Armenia at the launch of iCON Communications (www.icon.am), a new internet service provider in Yerevan. Can you tell us about your involvement with iCON?

RS: Several years ago, I was in Armenia with my good friend, Adam Kablanian. I told Adam of my vision to create inexpensive, reliable, and fast broadband Internet access in Yerevan, with the idea that if it we were successful, we could create the business model for providing this type of service to other developing countries or areas. Two years ago, we formed a small partnership and with Adam at the helm, launched iCON Communications. Our infrastructure is built upon a state-of-the-art network utilizing WiMax technology – which is more advanced than what is offered in the U.S. We successfully attracted additional investors from abroad, who enabled us to build the infrastructure in the Yerevan and then launch our service in Yerevan in February. Our customer base is growing rapidly. Customers can pay as little as 8,000 AMD or about $21 per month for unlimited, wireless Internet that is about five times faster than the dial up that is available on the market currently. Our wireless technology works well because it allows users with laptops to use the service in multiply locations using a small USB stick. We seem to have a prestige thing going at the moment with people demanding mobile, broadband Internet. We even have designed packages for visitors to Armenia to be able to purchase equipment and simply pay for the usage while they are in Armenia.

AR: : So do you consider iCON a successful business?

RS: Nope and Yup. We are not profitable yet. Our investors are investing in growth and in the future of the country’s need for more accessible and faster Internet access. And that is expensive – and let’s face it – a bit risky. However, we were able to enter the Armenian market as foreigners, work with the government to address a critical need that will help businesses, the government, and the population connect with the rest of the world. We have created are more than 50 professional jobs and have plans to increase that number to 80 by year’s end. And finally, we were able to have a dream, launch a high-tech company, and attract both foreign talent and foreign resources from well known industry leaders in the field of telecommunication to Armenia in only several years.

AR: iCON sounds like a business that would work in many different cities around the world. So why did you pick Armenia as a launch point? What is your connection to Armenia?

RS: My connection to Armenia started when I was 14 years old. My father, Karl Strauch, was the Chairman of the Physics Department at Harvard University and involved in collaborative scientific exchanges with the top laboratories in the Soviet Union. My father was working with Soviet scientists on accelerator technology and research in the late 60s and early 70s. In 1970, my father, at the invitation of the famous Armenian physists Artem and Alik Alikhanyan, brought our family to Armenia. As a teenager, I was impressed with the people with whom my father worked and became and remain friends with several of them, including, Tina Asatiani, a Georgian physicist and Academy member who spent the majority of her life working in Armenia and was one of the most honored female physists in the Soviet Union.

The Strauch family in 1970 during a visit to Armenia. Pictured at the table is Dr. Artem Alikhanian at the head. His wife Marina, my mother Maria, and two colleagues to his right. Roger Strauch (Age 14) and his brother Hans (Age 13) to his left.

When I was at Stanford working on my masters, I met and fell in love with Julie Kulhanjian, an Armenian-American girl from Detroit who was pre-med. She was impressed that I had been to Armenia! After Julie completed medical school in Michigan, we married. We have three teenage children, all of whom have been to Armenia multiple times and have worked on many Armenian-related projects. Our family is a member of St. Vartan’s Armenian Church in Oakland, Calif. In addition, we are active in the Armenian-American community in the Bay Area and nationally.

AR: What are some of the organizations you and your family support through your philanthropy?

RS: Julie and I believe it is important to set a strong example for not only our children, but for the community. We are involved with Cornell University and UC Berkeley, where I serve on engineering oversight committees, the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where I have served as president, and we helped establish the UC Berkeley Armenian Studies Program. In addition, Julie and I supported and played an active role producing San Francisco Opera’s performance of the Arshak II, eight years ago. We are life members of the Armenian Assembly of America and support many smaller and impressive Armenian organizations. In 2006, our family created the Paros Foundation (www.paros-foundation.org) and we became its organizational sponsor.

AR: What does the Paros Foundation do?

RS: The Paros Foundation works with six organizations in Armenia involving the arts, children and people with disabilities. Our executive director, Peter Abajian, and I have identified organizations that we feel serve as leaders in their respective fields. Our support comes in the form of organizational operating funds, office space and operational resources and mentoring. Our goal is help these modest size projects manage their growth and attract more financial, human, and physical resources to their respective causes. Furthermore, we have built a staff of travelling and in-country resources that other philanthropists or philanthropic institutions may choose to utilize to support their efforts to improve the quality of life and culture in Armenia.

AR: What organizations does the Paros Foundation work with in Armenia and how can people learn more about getting involved?

RS: We focus on improving the opportunities for at risk kids on the streets, economically disadvantaged kids, talented artists and disabled people to be effective contributors and to fully express themselves in a the country they all love so much. The programs we support currently are the Paros Chamber Choir (www.paros.am), Unison NGO (www.unison.am), Manana Youth Center (www.mananayouth.org), Ghoghanj Children’s Center (www.childrenscenter.am), the Vanadzor Music School #3 (www.vanadzormusic.org) and the Vanadzor Museum of Fine Arts (www.vanart.org).

People and organizations that are interested in implementing their projects via the Paros Foundation or donating can contact us through our website (www.paros-foundation.org) .

AR: Thank you Roger. We wish you continued success in your many endeavors.
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The Paros Chamber Choir Tours Artsakh

This October was remarkable in the rich history of the Paros Chamber Choir. The Choir, with support from the Ministry of Culture of Armenia, Ministry of Culture of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the Paros Foundation, held its first concert tour in Artsakh.

In Gandzasar, Paros was warmly welcomed by the local residents and the Priest. After a joint prayer, the choir performed several spiritual songs from its rich repertoire. The official part of the concert tour was started by a performance in St. Ghazanchetsots Church, Shoushi, where the choir performed a capella a dozen songs.

‘The mountains, green forests and our echoed songs at churches enriched our souls with beauty and joy,” says Raffi Mikaelean, Artistic Director and Condutor of Paros.

The final event of the tour was a concert at the Culture Palace in Stepanakert. This performance was also very successful. Although the Paros Concert lasted for almost two hours, the audience which included dozens of music fans, patients of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center, officials, and foreign guests, still demanded, “Encore, encore!”

“It is so important that the Ministry of Culture appreciates our choir,” says Armen Alaverdyan, Managing Director of Paros. “We were delighted to visit Artsakh and performed there. The choir members are looking forward to new opportunities to perform in this part of our Homeland.”