Not So Different: A Call for Collaboration Between Western Diaspora and Armenian Law Students

I had the opportunity to volunteer as a summer fellow at the International and Comparative Law Center (IC Law) in Yerevan, in partnership with my law school and Birthright Armenia. From the very first day, IC Law welcomed me withjermutyun (warmth) into a space I could never have accessed had I remained within the familiar bounds of Boston. At my jobsite, I gained exposure to the vast field of international human rights law by preparing a draft on prisoner-of-war cases under the tutelage of Siranush Sahakyan - a monumental figure in the human rights space. The best part was not only doing the kind of work that I love most, but creating friendships with inspiring Armenian colleagues. This experience showed me how essential programs like Birthright are in providing spaces for professional collaboration, where important work actually gets done.

What I continuously noticed during my fellowship were the similarities I shared with local Armenian students. In conversations with my new friends at my jobsite and even students outside of the legal field, I recognized that we have the same ambitions, anxieties, and routines that define student life everywhere: balancing coursework with internships, planning for graduate study, and building careers with purpose.

Too often in the diaspora, our engagement with Armenia is shaped by assumptions about what kind of support is needed without asking first. My peers consistently emphasized that what they value the most is collaboration, including opportunities to connect with colleagues abroad. We limit our impact when we treat Armenia as a recipient of aid rather than as a community of equals and partners.

My fiancé, himself a Birthright alumni who participated as a student, encouraged me to see it this way: as law students, we are uniquely positioned to bridge this gap. If we collaborate, we will get a lot more done in the legal field. These efforts may not resolve systemic challenges overnight, but they build lasting professional relationships that move the needle toward a stronger, more unified Armenia.

Birthright Armenia opened the door for me to experience this firsthand. It showed me that “Armenia is a real place with real people…” a phrase that I remember Sevan saying from orientation. The most powerful, lasting contribution we can make is by working alongside our peers in Armenia. For those of us in the U.S., the question should not behow can we help Armenia? but ratherhow can we work together? The answer begins by recognizing that we are not so different, and that we are stronger when we choose collaboration over distance.