Mission Statement

History of ACYO

The Armenian Church Youth Organization of the Western Diocese, ACYO-WD, was established in September of 1949 in Fresno, California. Late Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan established the ACYO as a visionary foundation for all youth across the United States of America which has been enveloped into a long-lasting legacy. The first major immigration of Armenians to the United States had occurred nearly a generation earlier, and the children of Genocide survivors made every attempt to preserve their faith in their forefathers, their identity, their cultural heritage, and most importantly, their faith. The ACYO was created to build strong and faithful Christian Armenian Americans who could grow within the Armenian Church and hold fast to the values of their people. This vision has been at the core of the ACYO for nearly four generations and has consistently been the instrument through which young men and women are trained to not only become faithful Armenian Orthodox Christians but the leaders of our Church and community. With each generation, the organization adapts to develop the tools needed to address the ever-changing nature of American culture and adapt to communicate the true meaning of Christ’s message and value of our Armenian Apostolic faith.