ARF-LEM is 50 Years Old

Vahe H. Apelian

50th Anniversary Celebration of LEM on January 21, 2022 

Today I read that ARF-LEM celebrated the 50^th anniversary of its founding yesterday, on Saturday, January 21, 2023. LEM stands for Youth Organization of Lebanon. I became reflective as I was involved in its formative and founding years. 

Other than AYF, there was no ARF Youth organization in the U.S.  during the formative decades of the Armenian American communities.  AYF was founded in 1933, forty years before the founding of the ARF-LEM,  and had remained the sole ARF related youth organization for good reason. It was, as it is commonplace for Armenian American children, to have a high school education. That was not the case in Lebanon especially during the post genocide formative decades of the community. 

During those early decades, many young Armenian boys and girls left schooling early on, some as early as elementary schooling, and started apprenticing to learn a trade. Consequently, two tier of ARF youth organizations came about in Lebanon.  ARF affiliated families enrolled their children in their local Badanegan (juvenile, adolescent) Associations. Mine was with the Papken Suni Badanegan in West Beirut. From there those who continued their education to middle school and then to high school were enrolled in ARF Zavarian Ashagerdagan (student) Association, and those who furthered their education to college, were enrolled in ARF Zavarian Ousanoghagan (college student) Association for a period of two years. After which the college student had to make a choice. Either take vows as a member of ARF and remain in Zavarian as an ARF-er,  or leave the ARF Zavarian Ousanoghan Association.

The youngster of the Banadegan Association, who did not pursue education and ended up apprenticing continued their association with Badanegan Associations when their ages placed them well above to be in a Badanegan Association or to be called a badani (jouvenile). Over time perceptions changed. Continuing through high school became more common and the distinction between those who apprenticed and those who continued their education through high school became less pronounced. It is at that point that the ARF came with a youth organization. The Badanegan Associations and the two Zavarian Ashagerdagan, Student Associations, one in Beirut and the other in Bourj Hammoud, were dissolved. The members in these associations became part of youth association and hence, ARF-LEM, or ARF Youth Organization (YOARF) of Lebanon came came about. 

I imagine that it was in 1973 that the entrenched AYF in the U.S. had its name changed and formally adopted AYF-YOARF designation to harmonize with LEM, the ARF Youth Organization of Lebanon and as well as in other countries.

However, there is still a simmering difference. AYF remains the sole ARF affiliated youth organization in the U.S. However, ARF Zavarian Ousanoghagan (College Student) Association continues to this day along with ARF-LEM in Lebanon. ARF Zavarian Ousanoghagan Assocation is one of the earliest, if not arguably the earliest, Armenian college student association in the Diaspora. It appears that in Armenia the two-tier organizational structure is in place. There is ARF college student association and as well as a YOARF organization in Armenia. 

1. Vahe H. Apelian,2. Hrayr Kasparian, 3. Koko Achekian, 5. Khajag Shitilian, 6. Varoujan Badouhassian, 7. Tsolag Tutelian, 8. Dikran Jinbashian, 9. Yervant Pamboukian, 10. Yetvart Eloyan, 11. Yetvart Padoyan, 12. Hagop Varante Yapoudjian, 13. Garo Tutunkian, 14. Maggie Khatcherian, 15. Suzan Kradjian, 19. Hourig Khanjian Abdulian 21. Vatche Proodian, 22. Aris Krikorian, 23. Hrayr Nalbandian, 25. Hovig Khatchadourian, 27. Hagop Pakradouni, 28. Ara Khanjian

As I look back, I become reflective. The members of the ARF Zavarian Ousanoghagan Association became the drivers who got the nascent youth organization going and oversaw the activities. I was among them. I realize that, over the years, the young members of ARF-LEM brought much service to the Armenian community. I met Hagop Der Khatchadourian, the current representative of the ARF Bureau in the Antelias region ARF-LEM. He chaired the committee of the Antelias region LEM. He had built a reputation as a studious student who excelled in his studies. I also met Hagop Pakradouni, the current ARF member of the Lebanese Parliament when he was a committee member, if not also the student who chaired the West Beirut branch of the ARF-LEM. He was noted for his student activism.

I left Lebanon in 1975. I visited it once, in 1995. The change was noticeable. The Armenian community in Lebanon in 1975 was a world onto its own and in hindsight, I realize that it was insulated, if not insular. It was obvious for me that the community had changed noticeably during the past two decades. The change had come about much more rapidly than I had thought it would. It was apparent to me that the tumult of the past two decades, mostly due to the civil war in Lebanon, had brought about an unmistakable change in the Armenian community. The community had noticeably dwindled in number and those who continued to live in Lebanon naturally had absorbed more of the language, customs, and norms of the greater Lebanese society, much like anywhere else I imagine, be it in the South and North Americas, Europe and elsewhere in the world; the inevitable lot of the Diaspora.