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“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
—Dale Carnegie |
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Welcome to the 17th edition of SYUN’s quarterly newsletter!
This February, we celebrate milestones and look ahead. Read about the first-ever diaspora team participating in the Davidbek Games 2025, catch up on updates from our ongoing projects, and explore the exciting ideas we are considering for the future. Meet one of our pillars—supporters whose dedication makes everything possible—and dive into a story from Armenia’s rich heritage that reminds us of our shared roots.
As we continue building stronger communities, we invite you to be part of our journey—learn more and get involved at syunfund.org. |
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🏹 Success Story: Davidbek Games – Connecting Youth, Culture, and Homeland
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For the past two years, SYUN has proudly partnered with Davidbek Games (Դավիթբեկյան խաղեր), an event that promotes patriotism, cultural pride, and physical fitness among Armenia’s youth. The Games have grown rapidly: in 2025, 18 teams participated—up from 12 the previous year—including one team from the Armenian diaspora, reflecting the event’s expanding reach and international connection.
The Games are more than a competition. As highlighted by the Russian newspaper Noev Kovcheg, they leave a lasting impression on young participants from abroad:
“By bringing together teams from different countries, we help young people feel connected to their historical homeland. This is important not only for addressing Armenia’s demographic challenges, but also for strengthening their sense of belonging to their roots.”
Building on this success, Davidbek Games 2026 promises to be even bigger. SYUN will continue as one of the main sponsors, supporting more teams — including the Artsakh team. Through these Games, SYUN helps empower young Armenians both locally and globally, fostering a sense of community, pride, and leadership.
The Davidbek Games are a shining example of how sport, culture, and youth engagement can unite generations and borders, inspiring a new wave of young Armenians to celebrate their heritage and rise to the challenge. |
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🏥 Emergency Response Training Center in Goris
Construction of the Emergency Response Training Center in Goris is moving forward with strong momentum. Led by the VAL («ՎԱԼ» հիմնադրամ) team and supported by dedicated volunteers, work continues even beyond regular hours—driven by commitment and shared purpose.
At the site, teamwork and energy are everywhere. Coffee breaks turn into work breaks, and enthusiasm fuels every step. More than a construction project, the center is a collective effort to strengthen community preparedness and resilience.
We look forward to the completion and official opening of the Emergency Response Training Center in Goris and extend our heartfelt thanks to all who are helping build a safer future together.
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🚑 First Aid Training
During the quarter, first aid trainings continued alongside the construction of the Emergency Response Training Center, reaching border communities, Artsakh families, and youth instructors. In total, 44 participants were trained. Participants from Vaghatour, Khnatsakh, and Khoznavar received advanced training for rapid response certification, while Artsakh families at the “Entsa” Social-Spiritual-Psychological Center strengthened self-aid and mutual aid skills through a family-based format.
In parallel, instructors and senior trainees of the ZARK program enhanced their knowledge of the MARCH standard, ensuring wider knowledge transfer. As we move into Phase 14, this work continues in collaboration with VAL, expanding access to essential lifesaving skills.
Artsakh families strengthening self-aid and mutual aid skills, together and across generations.
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🧭 Rapid Response in Border Villages
In collaboration with VAL, SYUN continues to strengthen emergency preparedness in Armenia’s border communities through targeted first aid training. Teachers, healthcare workers, and other community members from Vaghatour, Khnatsakh, and Khoznavar took part in advanced trainings designed to build sustainable, community-based rapid response teams.
Following evaluation of skills and readiness, four top-performing participants were selected as on-call responders, prioritizing effectiveness over numbers. They received additional training in casualty evacuation and were supported with an organizational ambulance. Although no real emergencies occurred during the duty period, a simulation exercise confirmed operational readiness and highlighted opportunities for future improvement—reinforcing resilience where it is needed most. |
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🚁 Drones in Action
In collaboration with VAL, this program trains community members aged 10+ in UAV operation. The program is fully hosted in Gegharot, where 18 participants engage in hands-on and theoretical sessions, learning drone structure, basic operation, and applications in agriculture, arts, and emergency response.
In the coming quarter, training will deepen skills and confidence, with a dedicated instructor joining to support learning. With continued support from the SYUN, participants will be ready to apply drone technology in meaningful ways. |
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🏫 From Learning to Impact
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🌿 Guardians of Artsakh Culture
SYUN proudly sponsors the Guardians of Artsakh Culture project, implemented by the Ghoghanj Children’s Center, bringing together displaced Artsakh children and peers from Yerevan through cultural, educational, and creative programs.
This year, students explored Armenia’s artistic heritage with visits to the National Gallery, where they studied visual arts, learned about traditional ornamentation, and participated in hands-on workshops, including festive New Year activities. The program also introduced Robotics classes, engaging over 50 children in STEM, problem-solving, and creative innovation. Psychology sessions help students understand emotions, build empathy, and strengthen communication skills, fostering both personal growth and social connection.
Through these transformative experiences, SYUN supports next generation in exploring, preserving, and celebrating Armenian heritage, nurturing creativity, curiosity, and resilience—one child, one class, and one story at a time.
Smiles, crafts, and festive spirit—New Year 2025 at Ghoghanj!
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🖥️ Control Center
In partnership with RealSchool, SYUN supports the development of the Control Center, a cutting-edge platform that inspires young innovators and strengthens Armenia’s tech ecosystem. Originally designed to coordinate space missions, the Armash Mission Control Center connected Armenia’s analog habitat with 17 research bases worldwide during the World’s Biggest Analog (WBA2025) and Armenian Space Forum (ASLI25). For two years, RealSchool students have developed and operated a flexible system that collects mission data and monitors real-time activities, now expanding to serve Armath Labs and other organizations.
Phase 6 of the project, running from November 2025 to April 2026, focuses on modernizing RealSchool’s management platform. Students and IT experts are improving tools for document management, communication, operations, and data monitoring, meeting international standards (ISO 9001). Highlights include a more secure data system (Metax 3.0), upgraded information tools—including a new mind-map view created by a student—and the expansion of Control Center stations across RealSchool and Instigate’s IT, Operations, Inventory, and HR departments.
Through this project, SYUN helps nurture the next generation of Armenian innovators, equipping them with the skills and technology to lead in space, IT, and beyond. |
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🎓 Advanced Educational Program
Through its collaboration with RealSchool, SYUN supports an advanced educational program that empowers Armenian youth to learn through action, initiative, and real-world responsibility. The program encourages students to design and lead projects that combine practical skills, creativity, and cultural identity.
One such initiative is Darman, a student-led project focused on preparedness and community care. Through hands-on sessions, students teach younger peers essential skills such as emergency go-bag preparedness, fostering awareness, leadership, and peer-to-peer learning beyond the classroom.
The program also includes intensive training experiences. In a recent 10-day training cycle, students developed practical competencies in first aid, self-defense, UAV operation, communication, navigation, and civil defense, alongside modules in psychology, management, and natural sciences. Learning culminated in examinations assessing both knowledge and applied skills.
Student creativity and cultural connection remain central to the program, as reflected in RealSchool’s year-end celebration—fully initiated and organized by students—featuring theater, music, dance, and traditional Armenian performances. Through this holistic approach, SYUN helps young people turn learning into impact, equipping them to lead, create, and serve their communities.
Real-world skills in action during RealSchool’s 10-day training program.
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🛰️ Master of Aerospace Engineering Program
SYUN supports Armenia’s Master of Science Program in Aerospace Engineering, launched in 2023 by the National Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the Engineering Association. Focused on Instrumentation and Systems Design, the program prepares future engineers to develop advanced aerospace technologies, from UAVs and satellites to ground control systems.
SYUN’s support for the program began in 2025, including funding for two student scholarships, made possible through a recent community fundraiser. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed and helped make this support possible. The program currently includes 24 students (13 first-year and 11 second-year) and has successfully completed the first semester of the current academic year.
A defining feature of the program is its strong industry connection. Thirteen master’s thesis projects, guided by Armenian aerospace companies, are now underway, covering areas such as CubeSat navigation, radar systems, UAV image processing, antenna design, and machine learning. Second-year students are preparing to present their thesis projects in June 2026, contributing to Armenia’s growing aerospace and engineering capacity. |
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💡 Aviators 2026
Building on the success of Aviators 2025, Technological Summer Camp, SYUN is preparing to launch Aviators 2026 in collaboration with Mind («Միտ») Educational Center. Last year, more than 100 youth from 14+ communities across Armenia took part in a seven-day immersive camp in Gyumri, where hands-on workshops, aircraft model building, and team activities sparked curiosity, confidence, and creativity.
Aviators 2026 will continue this hands-on approach, offering young participants the chance to explore technology, aviation, and engineering through learning by doing—empowering the next generation to imagine boldly and take flight. |
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🗺️ Mountainous Armenia on the Map
SYUN is planning to support, in collaboration with Ghoghanj, the publication of the first scientific historical map dedicated to the Republic of Mountainous Armenia (1920–1921).
Based on original historical and historical-geographical research by Gor Ghazatyan —who also taught history within the SYUN × Ghoghanj Armeniology project— and compiled by Gegham Badalyan (PhD), the map defines the borders of a short-lived but significant Armenian republic that has never before been mapped.
The research and cartographic work are complete, and the project is now entering its publication stage. The A1-format map will be distributed to schools, universities, libraries, research institutions, and selected border-community schools, followed by a public presentation.
This initiative aims to turn rigorous scholarship into a shared educational resource—bringing an overlooked chapter of Armenian statehood clearly onto the map.
The map is based on Gor Ghazaryan’s historical-geographical study, The Borders of the Republic of Mountainous Armenia. |
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🏛️ Our Pillars: Gayane Gevorgyan
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“I am Gayane. I work in my profession, yet I am even more passionate about teaching — about learning and sharing knowledge. I often travel to villages for this purpose, and in doing so, I also rediscover and enjoy the beauty of Armenia.
The SYUN Foundation supports numerous educational (and other meaningful) initiatives, fostering the creation of new lights that can dispel the darkness around us. For these efforts to continue, the support and active participation of each of us is essential.”
Gayane Gevorgyan is an engineer at AMD Armenia and one of the leading first aid instructors at VAL. Alongside her professional achievements, she remains deeply committed to education and community service. Even while based in Armenia, she consistently and generously supports SYUN’s various programs, strengthening initiatives that empower young people and communities.
Her dedication to teaching, her readiness to serve, and her steadfast support make Gayane a truly unique SYUN star supporter — a pillar whose quiet commitment helps transform ideas into lasting impact. 💙 |
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🕊️ Heritage Corner: Utis Tat, Pas Pap & the Spirit of Barekendan
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As Barekendan approaches and Great Lent draws near, Armenian folk traditions remind us of the natural rhythm between celebration and reflection.
During the joyful weeks before Lent, Utis Tat — whose name comes from “to eat” — fills tables with rich dishes and sweets, symbolizing abundance, hospitality, and the warmth of gathering.
At the close of Barekendan, Pas Pap appears to gently “drive her away.” Stern but meaningful, often depicted with a staff or a ladle for simple Lenten meals, he ushers in a season of restraint and spiritual renewal.
The Lenten doll Aklatiz, crafted from an onion with seven feathers marking the seven weeks of Lent, helped families count down to Easter — removing one feather each week as nature and spirit awakened together.
Through these traditions, our people celebrated a timeless balance: joy and moderation, feasting and fasting — preparing both heart and home for renewal. |
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🌿 A Season to Reflect. A Chance to Act.
As we approach Great Lent — a season of reflection and renewal — each of us marks this time differently. Whether you observe it traditionally or simply use it as a moment to reset your priorities, this season invites intentional action.
At SYUN, education transforms potential into opportunity. Your decision today can shape a student’s tomorrow.
Take one purposeful step:
1️⃣ Give with Purpose — Choose your project.
2️⃣ Share SYUN’s Mission — Share. Multiply.
3️⃣ Commit Monthly — Give monthly. Sustain impact.
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Small, intentional actions create lasting change.
At SYUN, education is more than a program — it is a path to dignity, resilience, and opportunity.
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