Summer 2023

SUMMER CAMP 2023

Summer Camp in Hankavan, Armenia

This year, for the first time, we brought together 70 students from 11 towns and villages across Armenia to participate in an exciting and immersive five-day summer camp at the Young Life camping ground in Hankavan, Armenia.

Led by 15 volunteer teacher leaders from the United States, Lebanon, and Armenia, the camp included English, computer coding, dance, STEM, art, health and wellbeing classes, and an array of exciting activities, including treasure hunts, water fights, bonfires, and more. Singers Anahit Shahbazyan, Ruslan, and Hayk Petrosyan made camp unforgettable with surprise performances.

This year's camp fostered connections between young participants from remote border villages and volunteers from various countries worldwide and exposed participants to a rich tapestry of diverse individuals and fresh ideas.

Summer Camp 2023 was made possible by generous donations from Vardouhi Achabahian ($14,000) and Birthright Armenia ($1,000).

Check out video highlights from Summer Camp 2023!

Online Summer Camp for Artsakh

Due to Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor this year, we could not hold camp in Artsakh or bring students to Armenia to participate in the Hankavan Summer Camp. Instead, we held an online summer camp for 27 students from 8 villages in Artaskh and Stepanakert.

Organized by HRI's UC Berkeley chapter and led by volunteers from the United States, the online Summer Camp included art, social issues, poetry and writing, college and career, STEM, and Zoom-instructed dance and yoga classes.

Famous rapper Lyoka from Artsakh, Robin the Robot, a research-based mental health robot that comforts children during times of stress, and representatives from Armath made surprise appearances during camp.

During such a high-stress environment, HRI Summer Camp brought joy to Artsakh youth.