SOAR - Geneva Chapter
Geneva became part of the SOAR family in September 2013. The first Armenian families settled in Switzerland at the end of the 19th century, fleeing persecution of Sultan Abdul Hamid in the Ottoman Empire. They settled mainly in French-speaking Switzerland. During and immediately after the Armenian Genocide of 1915, other refugees arrived. In the 1920s, Pastor Kraft Bonnard created an orphanage in Begnins where more than 200 orphans and genocide survivors found refuge. After finishing their studies, some remained permanently in Switzerland.
At the end of the Second World War, the community in Switzerland reached approximately 300 people. Since then, the number has continued to grow. The situations in the Middle East, in the former Soviet Union, and in independent Armenia have encouraged many Armenians to immigrate to the West. It is estimated that approximately 5,000 Armenians live in Switzerland today.
The majority of Swiss Armenians are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church, under the jurisdiction of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin. There are four church regions: Geneva, Zurich, Neuchatel and Lugano. The Saint Hagop Church in Troinex serves mainly the West of the country, while Armenians living in the East conduct their religious services in a number of sister Swiss churches. There are also a smaller number of Armenian Catholics belonging and even a smaller number of Armenian Evangelicals.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Milena Tonoyan
President
Speaking fluently 5 languages (German, French, English, Armenian and Russian), Milena grew up in Germany, and moved to Geneva for studies and work. While working as a Junior Business Administrator for a fiduciary services provider, covering administrative management and leading the path to digitalise various processes, Milena also successfully developed her own event management company.
Driven by continous improvements and client satisfaction, Milena enjoys having taken over new challenges in leading different projects at CBRE.
Her main aim is to spread conscious collectiveness around the world, because everyone should understand that after all, we are all just humans. Her contribution to SOAR is marked by a strong will to make the world a better place because the privileged have to help the least privileged in order to achieve a greater impact.
Edgar Gevorgyan
Edgar holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Louvain School of Engineering, Belgium. He is fluent in French, English, and Armenian.
Throughout his career, he has gained significant experience working with both small startups and large multinational and international organizations.
Edgar has a keen interest in making a positive impact and a strong desire to make a difference. His passion for technology and innovation drives him to seek out opportunities where he can contribute meaningfully to hid teams and projects.
Anna Grigoryan
Anna is a quadrilingual development professional with cross-sectoral experience in international organizations, academic institutions, private sector, civil service and grassroots. She brings her professional expertise in combination with her high empathy in the following areas: program and project management; grant management and proposal writing; public-private partnerships; multi-stakeholder programs and agreements; UN system, international organizations and NGOs; event organization and supplier management; editorial – Armenian-English-French-Russian.
Armen Harutyunyan
Armen Harutyunyan has 24 years of experience managing portfolios, programmes, projects and operations in over 20 countries and territories, with an advanced understanding of organizational strategies, governance, start-ups, organizational behaviour, change management, risk management, financial management and stakeholder management. Armen managed large and complex programmes with up to 1,000 staff, in countries like Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Cambodia, and from the headquarters of different organizations. He led and coordinated diverse teams delivering services to clients and partners in multi-country operations in peace and security, global health and innovation. Armen holds an MBA from the University of Leicester, a bachelor’s degree in Philology and a diploma in Sustainable Business Management from the University of Cambridge.
Lyusi Mirzoyan
Lyusi Mirzoyan is driven by a passion for humanitarianism and a strong commitment to serving her community. Currently, Lyusi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Psychology from Keele University and an executive position at the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention. Her upbringing in Armenia has instilled in her a deep sense of responsibility towards her country and its people. With a keen interest in making a positive impact and desire to make a difference, Lyusi is eager to begin her journey with the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR). She is committed to leveraging her skills and experiences to support and contribute to the organization’s mission of providing vital assistance and care to those in need. Through her dedication and determination, Lyusi looks forward to playing a meaningful role in SOAR’s efforts to create a brighter future for the Armenian community.