Armenian General Benevolent Union

Presented at the 73rd General Assembly of the Union on November 22,1986, in Paris, France

Adopted by the 7th General Assembly of the Armenian Feneral Benevolent Union held on October 15, 1983 in Scarborough (Ontario, Canada)

In the time of your life...seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding-place and let it be free and unashamed. Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are the things that hold death and must pass away. Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption. Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror of the world. Ignore the obvious, for it is unworthy of the clear eye and the kindly heart. Be the inferior of no man, nor of any man be the superior. Remember that every man is a variation of yourself. No man's guilt is not yours, nor is any man's innocence a thing apart. Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men of ungodliness or evil. These, understand. Have no shame in being kindly and gentle, but if the time comes in the time of you life to kill, kill and have no regret. In the time of your life, live — so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.
—William Saroyan "The Time of Your Life"

On the occasion of the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Armenian Young Men's Association of Armenian General Benevolent Union (Lebanon and Syria), it was deemed appropriate lo commemorate in a publication the thirty years' fruitful activity of this organization.
In view of the importance of this undertaking, the Central Committee of the Association formed a special Publication Committee with administrative and editorial divisions to supervise this work and bring it to a successful consummation.
The Editorial Committee has no pretension of incorporating within the limited pages of this book the thirty years' activity of the A. Y. M. A. commonly known in the Middle East countries as (Association de la Jeunesse Antranik. No matter how conscientious an editorial body may be, it is impossible to compress into one volume the vast activities of an organization which has worked incessantly for three decades in Lebanon, Syria and almost all the Near East countries. Secondly, no matter how critical an editorial body may be, it is impossible to obtain a complete file of photographs and documentary material, since most Items of this nature are destroyed or scattered in remote places. We have endeavored to seek out and save whatever documents and photographs that were available and incorporate the most characteristic ones in this volume. This has resulted in an unavoidable delay of one year in publication.
It must also be pointed out that this volume represents the effort of a young patriotic Armenian generation known to ardently sponsor Armenian national values, Armenian letters and literature as well as Armenian music, painting and the theatre.
The publication of such an expensive volume would have been impossible without the generous contribution of $1,000 by Mr. Alex Manoogian, President of the AGBU. Since the publication expenses of this volume have vastly exceeded our original budgetary estimate, we have adopted the Honor Roll subscription system, establishing LL. 50 (fifty Lebanese Pounds) as participation fee. We are pleased to report that many members and friends of the Association have responded to our appeal, thereby raising the number of Honor Roll subscribers to 150. In appreciation of this cooperation, we list at the back of this book the Honor Roll of subscribers.
We also thank those who have contributed articles or assisted directly or indirectly in the publication of this volume.
No doubt this book will instill pride in the hearts of thousands of members of our Association encouraging them to continue their useful activity. We have called this book “Tapnebessag”, a compound word formed of Tapny (daphne, laurel, bay tree) and bssag (crown, coronet, diadem). During the times of the Greeks and Romans, distinguished athletes or famous generals on their return from their victories used to receive from the king and the people “Tapnebssag”, a diadem of bay tree branches. In view of the fact that the Armenian Young Men's Association has endured thirty years in the face of countless difficulties, is a victorious achievement that deserves a tapnebssag, appropriate title for this book.
We are certain that members and friends of the widely esteemed organization, the AGBU, will feel somewhat compensated and encouraged when they observe in the pages of this volume, a young generation walking along constructive paths towards a luminous future.
The Armenian volume of “Tapnebessag” appeared in mid-1964. Because of the enthusiastic reception accorded the publication, it was felt that a special edition for Armenians of the English-speaking world might also be of interest. Therefore, it was decided to translate the articles into English and add them to the Armenian edition, thus enabling English readers to enjoy the contents of the book.

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE ARMENIAN YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION

This Booklet is dedicated to
Mr. Alex Manoogi an
In Commemoration of the Tenth Anniversary (1953-1963)
as President of The Armenian General Benevolent Union
It is with loving pride that we present this booklet to honor our esteemed president Mr. Alex Manoogian, for his achievements as leader, benefactor and outstanding Armenian.
With sincere appreciation and best wishes A. G. B. U. Detroit Men's Chapter, Ladies Chapter, Metropolitan Chapter.

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Warmest congratulations on your tenth anniversary as President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and for your dedicated and selfless leadership which has brought the AGBU into one of its most effective and productive eras.
Best wishes for continued health and happiness.
CENTRAL COMMITTEE
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT
UNION OF AMERICA

It is with genuine pleasure and a sense of pride that the Armenian General Benevolent Union dedicates this album to the boys of Armenian origin who served with the armed forces of the United States during World War II.
The noblest of civic virtues, the one which entitles man to the highest respect of his fellow-citizens, is patriotism, which means devotion to the welfare of one's country and readiness to defend it against its aggressors.
Today, the victory is won. Some of those whose pictures appear in the following pages paid for it with their lives. For the others, time is bound to dim the memory of struggle and effort. World War II, like all other wars, will in time become history instead of sharply-felt personal experience.
But the example of those Americans of Armenian blood — some fifteen thousand in all, who answered the call to the colors — will not be forgotten by their fellow-citizens.
Our boys were proud to defend this hallowed land of America which received their fathers and grandfathers with such broad hospitality, and made possible the flowering of their own lives in untrammelled freedom.
And they will do it again, if necessary, with all the more fervor, because the cause of America has always been the cause of humanity, justice and liberty.
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION, Central Board of Directors,
Karagheuzian
President
Mai 1946