Our goal is to raise patriotic children in Diaspora – Mane Shahbazian

Our goal is to raise strong, educated, and patriotic children in the Diaspora, said Mane Shahbazian, Scout Leader at the Homenetmen Burbank Sipan Chapter, in an interview with Alpha News.

“The scouting division accepts children between the ages of 6 and 18. Throughout the year, it organizes camps, with the most significant achievement being the scouts’ trip to Armenia, held every four years,” Shahbazian said.

When asked how the organization maintains youth connections with Armenia, Shahbazian noted, “This structure gives us the opportunity to hear the Armenian language, communicate, study Armenian history, and learn about the Armenian Genocide. The trip to Armenia is a very important event for us. We have branches all over the world—in Canada, Australia, Armenia, and Iran.”

The Homenetmen Sipan Chapter recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. The event was attended by Chairperson of the Homenetmen Burbank Sipan Chapter Saro Ghazarian, Assemblymember Nick Schultz of the 44th District, Homenetmen “Exceptional” Medal recipient Arick Gevorkian, president of the Burbank Unified School District Board of Education Armond Aghakhanian, and others.