MISSION HILLS, Calif. — The Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) is set to host its 3rd Annual Advance Armenia Gala on December 6, at the Landmark in Mission Hills. This evening will spotlight FAST’s flagship initiative, Generation AI, which aims to transform Armenia into a key player in the global AI landscape by integrating advanced Math, Python programming and advanced AI education into public school curricula to nurture the next generation of innovators and creators.
The gala will bring together prominent figures, featuring industry-leading speakers such as André Andonian, Chairman Emeritus of North Asia at McKinsey and Chairman of Asia Pacific at Flagship Pioneering, and Nina Achadjian, a partner at Index Ventures, who collaborates with innovative companies including ServiceTitan, Gong, Vizcom, and Intercom.
Dr. Armen Orujyan, FAST’s outgoing founding CEO and new Board of Trustees member emphasized the organization’s commitment: “To rapidly transform Armenia into a science-driven, innovative nation, we recognized early on that Artificial Intelligence would be the key domain to focus on. While many countries continue to debate the integration of AI into school curricula or limit their focus to AI literacy, we are taking a bolder approach by bringing AI education into high schools and opening new avenues for maximizing the talent and potential that Armenia possesses.”
Dr. Mary Papazian, Chair of the FAST Board of Advisors and Generation AI Advisory Boards, and Executive Vice President at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, highlighted the importance of community support: “Los Angeles is my hometown — a place where I grew up, and I know its large diaspora’s deep commitment to our homeland. Armenia is on the path of becoming a global innovator nation — a place where cutting-edge technologies like AI will drive progress across many industries. By supporting this initiative and investing in the education of our youth, we are investing not only in the future of Armenia but in the future of all our diaspora — and, indeed, in the global world.”
The gala will include a dinner, a fundraising auction and musical performances, with proceeds benefiting the Generation AI High School Project. This initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of Armenia, currently involves 15 schools — positively impacting 540 students and 61 educators across seven regions of the country. The program is accessible free of charge and, in the coming years, will expand to up to 45 high schools, reaching over 85 percent of students nationwide.
