TORONTO – The Zoryan Institute announced this week that three new members have accepted the institute’s invitation to serve on its Corporate Board of Directors: Diran Avedian from Montreal, Canada; Ambassador Armen Yeganian from Yerevan, Armenia and Federico Gaitan Hairabedian from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Avedian is the president and founder of Lactopur Inc. For more than 40 years, Avedian has been involved in international trade of commodities. He is a graduate of the American University of Beirut and later received his MBA from McGill University in Montreal. He is a long-time supporter, philanthropist and representative of the Zoryan Institute. He has provided scholarships for several students from Latin America to attend the Zoryan Institute’s graduate-level Genocide and Human Rights University Program organized in partnership with the University of Toronto History Department. As a Corporate Director, he will continue to serve as a vital liaison to the academic and Armenian communities in Montreal. He will also continue to help develop many valuable relationships with the Institute, particularly in Latin America.
Hairabedian is the president of the Luisa Hairabedian Foundation, a fraternal organization to the Zoryan Institute in Buenos Aires. He served as a prosecuting attorney for several years and is currently in private practice in Argentina. As a human rights lawyer, Hairabedian works on behalf of the families of persons who disappeared during Argentina’s military dictatorship. Through his work, more than fifty members of the Argentine military dictatorship were brought to justice and condemned for their actions. He is a 2005 alumnus of the Institute’s Genocide and Human Rights University Program. He received his law degree in 2012 and completed postgraduate studies in criminal law and international human rights law and international humanitarian law from 2014 to 2018.
As a Corporate Director, Federico Gaitan Hairabedian will help the Institute and its affiliated organization, the Luisa Hairabedian Foundation, to expand its activities in Latin America and establish important partnerships with universities and academic institutions as part of the future growth and development plan for the Institute.
Yeganian was formerly Armenia’s ambassador to Canada and is now serving as director of the Policy Planning Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. Previously he was Chief of the State Protocol Service Agency (2017-2018).
In 1992, Armen Yeganian received Master’s degree from Yerevan State University, graduating from the Armenian History Department. From 1985-1987 he studied modern history at the Leningrad State University. As a Corporate Board Member, his role will be critical in guiding and directing the Institute in its efforts in Armenia. He will provide invaluable insight into the Institute’s activities in dealing with the forces and factors that shape Armenia today.
