Armenian Assembly of America Elected to NGO Board (CoNGO) at the United Nations

Washington, D.C. – Last month during the 28th General Assembly of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) was elected to serve on its Board.

Founded in 1948, the year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) is an independent, international membership association with 525 member organizations from around the world, as well as 106 associate members.

As a non-governmental organization (NGO) in general consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, its work relates to the entire United Nations System: the Secretariat, Agencies, Treaty Bodies, Regional Commissions, Institutes, Summits, and World Conferences. 

“It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome the addition of the Armenian Assembly of America to this distinguished group of organizations and individuals,” said newly elected President Dr. Peter Preziosi, who also serves as President and CEO of TruMerit, a worldwide leader in healthcare workforce development. Formerly known as CGFNS International, the organization has a nearly 50-year history supporting the career mobility of nurses and other healthcare workers—and those who license and hire them—by validating their education, skills, and experience as they seek authorization to practice in the United States and other countries. “We look forward to closely collaborating with the Armenian Assembly to further elevate the important work of CoNGO,"  Dr. Preziosi continued.   

CoNGO Immediate Past President Rev. Dr. Liberato C. Bautista, President of CoNGO Dr. Peter Preziosi, and Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny 

Dr. Preziosi succeeds the Rev. Dr. Liberato C. Bautista, the main representative to the United Nations for the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church.  As CoNGO’s longest serving President, Dr. Bautista leaves a lasting legacy to build upon and will continue to provide his expertise and insights to the greater NGO community. 

“I have had the pleasure of working with the Armenian Assembly for over a decade and have every confidence that the organization with its Executive Director Bryan Ardouny will continue its important work for the betterment of the communities our NGO’s service and for the enhancement of our collective effort to empower further the non-governmental organizations working with the United Nations system,” stated  Dr. Bautista.  “The international community benefits every day from the kind of leadership that CoNGO provides, and the ongoing exchange of ideas and practices among our membership organizations and the NGO committees they are active in will only advance the goals of our unified efforts that much more for the benefit of humankind,” Dr. Bautista added. 

The Armenian Assembly, one of twenty elected members of the Board, will serve a term from 2025 to 2029. 

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a strictly non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization. 

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