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Armenian Assembly of America
Advocacy Summit
Join us in Washington, D.C. each spring for our annual Advocacy Summit.
Bookmark this page for updates, the full schedule, and important event information as it becomes available.
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Meline Martirosyan
Nursing student, Santa Clarita, California
“I have always been an activist online and consistently respond to action alerts as this is a personal commitment for me, but it was a new experience of meeting with elected officials in person.”
Areg Hovhannisyan
Glendale Community College, Glendale, California
The Summit “opened up a fresh path” for him to become involved in advocacy and “have the opportunity to learn and talk to elected officials about issues I really care about.”
Artur Melikian
University of California, Los Angeles, California
He "met with different officials an gaing new friends." Participating in 10 meetings helped him understand the “different principles and approaches of elected officials.”
The Armenian Assembly of America’s Advocacy Summit brings together Armenian Americans from across the United States to advocate on Capitol Hill and bring attention to critical issues facing the Armenian people.
Participants take part in informative briefings, panel discussions, advocacy training sessions, and coordinated meetings with Members of Congress and their staff.
2025 Advocacy Summit Highlights
The Armenian Assembly of America hosted a successful Spring 2025 Advocacy Summit on Capitol Hill, bringing together Armenian Americans from across the country for three days of advocacy, briefings, and meetings with elected officials.
Advocates engaged with more than 400 congressional offices to emphasize the release of the Armenian hostages, enforcing Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, and to thank Members for being a part of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, or encouraging them to join.
The Summit was headlined by Emmy Award-winning actor and director Joe Manganiello, who encouraged participants to “use your voice to do good and let’s rally for the hostages to be released.”
A high-level panel on international law and human rights featured Sheila Paylan, Dr. Michael Rubin, and Elizabeth Samson, moderated by Assembly Director of Research and Analysis Robert Avetisyan.
David Vardanyan, son of Armenian political prisoner Ruben Vardanyan, addressed participants virtually and urged advocacy efforts in Washington.
Testimony before the House Appropriations Committee by Assembly Co-Chair Talin Yacoubian. The Assembly was one of only 20 organizations to testify in person and the only Armenian group to do so.
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Full-page ads in Politico and The Hill were distributed to every office on Capitol Hill to draw additional awareness to the plight of Armenian hostages.
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The Summit also included a Young Professionals Networking event at the University Club, Advocacy Briefings, and a Welcome Reception at The Jefferson Hotel.
Following the Summit, participants attended the Armenian Genocide Commemoration on Capitol Hill, marking the 110th anniversary.
2024 Advocacy Summit Highlights
The Armenian Assembly of America hosted its Spring 2024 Advocacy Summit on Capitol Hill, bringing together activists from across the United States for two days of advocacy, briefings, and meetings with elected officials.
Advocates visited over 300 offices of elected officials on Capitol Hill, dedicating the day to meetings with Members of Congress to raise awareness of critical issues facing the Armenian people and to inform lawmakers about ways to support.
The Summit included an Advocacy Briefing and training session. Former U.S. Senator Ambassador Sam Brownback addressed participants about the importance of educating decision-makers about the risks faced by Armenia as a Christian country.
Participants also gathered during the Summit for a Welcome Reception alongside Assembly friends, members, intern alumni, and leadership, where they enjoyed a musical performance by pianist Dr. Naira Babayan.
A special highlight of the Spring 2024 Advocacy Summit was the participation of young scholars. Thanks to donor support, 20 Armenian American college students from across the United States received scholarships to participate in the Summit.
The Summit concluded with the Armenian Genocide Commemoration on Capitol Hill marking the 109th anniversary, where Members of Congress shared their remarks and reaffirmed their efforts to support the Armenian people amidst its current challenges.