AGBU history

In 1914, AGBU had 142 branches in Western Armenia, Cilicia, USA, Argentina, Europe and Africa with 8,533 members.

In October 1915, the Sisvan school with 1,222 students, later an orphanage and a camp for women refugees, was established by the AGBU in the desert near Port Said, Egypt.

In 1942, Arshak Karagyozian became the fourth president of the AGBU.

In 1975, then AGBU Life President, Mr.

In June 1981, the school awarded Elementary School diplomas to its first graduating class of ten students.

Finally, the dream became reality with the purchase of the 6.3-acre school complex, located at 6844 Oakdale Avenue, Canoga Park, and the school moved to its permanent campus on July 1, 1986.

Alex Manoogian’s inspiring leadership and contributions, in February 1987 the Board of Trustees resolved to rename the school as AGBU Marie Manoogian School, in honor of Mr.

In 1988, immediately following the Spitak earthquake, the AGBU organized the transportation of food, clothes, and medicine to the disaster zone.

In 1989, Louise Manoogian Simone, the daughter of Alex Manoogian, became the president of the AGBU. It gave a new breath to the strengthening of ties between the Armenians of Armenia and diaspora.

In 1990, the AGBU opened a representative office in Yerevan.

Alex Manoogian, was sufficient to bring the high school and parking phase of the expansion project to completion before school reopened in September 1992.

In 1995, the AGBU founded the first Young Professionals (YP) Group in Los Angeles; today, there are 37 YP Groups and Partners worldwide.

The year 2001 marked the Silver Anniversary of the establishment of the school.

Since 2002 Berge Setrakian, partner at renowned law firm DLA Piper, is the president of AGBU.

Originally published in print by the Central Board of Directors to commemorate AGBU’s centenary in 2006, e-book versions of the two (2) volume set by historians Raymond Kévorkian and Vahé Tachjian were developed by the Armenian Virtual College (AVC) on the occasion of AGBU’s 110th anniversary.

Today, there are 17 YP groups in 11 countries of the world, among which the newly-established AGBU YP Yerevan group (2007).

In 2017, the AGBU opened the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Performing Arts Center in Pasadena, California in the United States.

NewsAGBU HighlightsVideo materials 2018

NewsAGBU HighlightsVideo materials 2019