On Friday 6 December 2013, the ACUSA members residing in Lebanon celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of the Association at Hotel Royal in Beirut. ACUSA, which was founded in 1963 by the Very Rev. Karekin Sarkissian (later Catholicos) and a group of motivated university students, has been blessed with consistent support down through the years by the late Catholicoi Khoren I and Karekin II. His Holiness Aram has further strengthened that support. ACUSA members are active in the diaspora as well as in Lebanon.

The current President, Razmig Michaelian, welcomed the guests and spoke of the vocation and achievements of the Association during the past 50 years. He invited the old and new members to make this anniversary an occasion respond to new issues and challenges.

At the end of formal celebrations, His Holiness Aram I urged the members to work on making ACUSA responsive and relevant to our University youth population today. He said: “We must assess the work of the Association thus far and seek new ways of working together.” He expressed his fear that Armenian youth are becoming marginal to our community life, and he suggested that the Association build the network of diaspora members and work hard to convince the Armenian youth everywhere to participate in ACUSA-sponsored activities, as well as those sponsored by the Church and community as a whole.

Following His Holiness’s message, Rev. Ghevont Pentezian and Razmik Michaelian gave His Holiness Aram I a special gift commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of ACUSA.