Армянская церковная ассоциация университетских студентов
| Армянская церковная ассоциация университетских студентов | |
| ACUSA | |
| Armenian Church University Students' Association | |
| Дата основания: | 1963 |
| Ссылки: | http://www.cathcil.org/x04/index.htm |
The Armenian Church University Students' Association (ACUSA) was established in 1963, by His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of Cilicia, now of blessed memory.
ACUSA members are students and graduates from all Lebanese universities and educational institutions.
It has a committee of seven members, both male and female. The committee members are elected per annum by ACUSA members in the general assembly. This committee acts as the Executive Body in charge of organizing ACUSA activities.
University students first become ACUSA assistants. After a certain testing period, the committee studies the application's case and decides the probability of accepting him/her as a regular ACUSA member. All members pay an annual due as a symbolic act of involvement.
Besides the committee, a spiritual advisor is appointed by the Catholicos of Cilicia. The spiritual advisor supervises and coordinates the activities.
The activities include lectures, debates, seminars, visitations to exhibitions, social life, conferences, participation in ecumenical youth activities, observation of ecclesiastical feast days and national commemorations, etc.
The activities and meetings are held weekly in a special hall at the headquarters of Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia.
ACUSA publishes a bulletin every three months. It includes brief articles, discussions, reports on activities, etc.
Other publications include:
The Prophet, by Khalil Gebran.
Complete Works, by Roupen Sevag.
From the very beginning ACUSA has been in close association and cooperation with the similar organizations on local, regional and world levels. The organizations with whom cooperation has been continually pursued are World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), Syndesmos, Youth Department of the World Council of Churches (WCC) through the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).
So far ACUSA has participated in all seminars and activities organized by the above mentioned organizations. As a result, ACUSA has succeeded in involving the Armenian Church Youth in the worldwide ecumenical movement.
THE ECUMENICAL ROLE OF THE ARMENIAN
CHURCH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION
One of the most important appearances of the Armenian Church University Students Association is its participation in youth meetings and its activity with other communities. A lot of effort has been put to introduce the Armenian Church, as well as human’s rights and historical representation.
The first entry of ACUSA in ecumenical life begins in 1968 at the World Student Christian Federation’s four years general meeting where the administration of ACUSA introduced a claim by an application, in the perspective of a more active participation of associations.
In 1968, Sweden embraced the seventh assembly of the Orthodox Churches Youth Movement Syndesmos in which the ACUSA applied to the assembly to accept his association with other oriental orthodox churches youth movements are invited to the meeting, and the executive committee is requested to confer with those churches for the same purpose.
With the arrangements of Karekin II Sarkissian, Catholicos of Cilicia, ACUSA tries his best to introduce the Armenian Church’s and people’s real character. A whole year’s work shows the conclusive testimony of that participation. Remains only fixing and strongly strengthening it.
From 1978 until 1988, ACUSA participated mainly in the Middle East Council of Churches Youth department activities. In each of Lebanon, Cyprus, Middle East and other countries the presenters of ACUSA participated in many meetings and unity works.
At this time many of ecumenical organizations representatives from the Diaspora, often visit the ACUSA center in Antelias, Lebanon, to have discussions with the members.
In this ecumenical circle, the participation of ACUSA in the World Student Christian Federation has a unique role, which became an important (international ecumenical youth organization) with the contribution of university students independent from the World Council of Churches.
