Lorik Humanitarian Fund Founder to Speak at Five East Coast Universities About Artsakh
Following a presentation at Santa Monica College, Shunt Jarchafjian will visit universities in Washington, DC, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina to share his firsthand experiences of the Artsakh war, blockade, and forced displacement.
GLENDALE, Calif. — Shunt Jarchafjian, founder of Lorik Humanitarian Fund, will embark on a five-university speaking tour across the eastern United States from November 10–16, sharing his firsthand experiences living in Artsakh during the 2020 war, the subsequent Azerbaijani blockade, and the September 2023 military offensive that resulted in the forced displacement of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians.
The tour follows an October 27 presentation at Santa Monica College, hosted by the college’s newly established Armenian Students Association. During the gathering, Jarchafjian discussed his experiences in Artsakh, the continuing humanitarian consequences of its population’s forced displacement, and the work Lorik Fund is carrying out to assist affected families.
East Coast University Speaking Schedule
November 10: George Washington University — Washington, DC
November 11: Columbia University — New York, NY
November 12: Fordham University — New York, NY
November 13: Rutgers University — New Jersey
November 16: Duke University — Durham, North Carolina
Jarchafjian lived in Artsakh from 2020 until September 2023, witnessing the war, blockade, and eventual forced displacement of the region’s Armenian population. His presentations will offer students a personal perspective on these events and examine the challenges that continue to confront families rebuilding their lives in Armenia.
The discussions will also highlight the importance of preserving Artsakh’s history and cultural heritage while encouraging students to engage with ongoing humanitarian efforts.
From Personal Experience to Humanitarian Action
Through Lorik Humanitarian Fund, Jarchafjian has worked to provide direct assistance to families forcibly displaced from Artsakh, with programs focused on permanent housing, educational scholarships, small business development, children’s arts and sports education, medical assistance, and cultural preservation.
To date, Lorik has helped provide permanent housing for 15 families, including five families of fallen Armenian soldiers.
During the previous academic year, the organization’s Aznavour Saghyan Scholarship Fund awarded 114 scholarships totaling $60,810. The current academic year has begun with six students receiving $5,924 in scholarship assistance, including three children of fallen soldiers.
Lorik has also awarded 23 small business development grants, helping families establish or rebuild sources of income in Armenia.
The organization operates Artsakh Tsil Arts Studio in Gyumri, providing free arts and cultural education to more than 50 children, and has recently launched Judo on the Border, a youth sports initiative in Bertavan, Tavush, where 28 students have already received judo uniforms.
These programs demonstrate the continuing need for practical humanitarian assistance more than three years after the forced displacement of Artsakh’s Armenian population.
Engaging Armenian Students and the Broader University Community
The upcoming speaking tour aims to encourage discussion among students about Artsakh’s recent history, the consequences of forced displacement, and the role of younger generations in humanitarian assistance and cultural preservation.
Lorik Humanitarian Fund extends its appreciation to the Armenian Students Association at Santa Monica College and the university student organizations and individuals helping coordinate the upcoming East Coast presentations.
About Lorik Humanitarian Fund
Lorik Humanitarian Fund is a Glendale, California-based nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting families forcibly displaced from Artsakh and supporting vulnerable communities in Armenia. Its initiatives include permanent housing, educational scholarships, small business development grants, children’s arts and sports programs, healthcare assistance, and cultural preservation.
