LOS ANGELES — The milestone evening raised over $17 million to support TUMO’s continued growth in Armenia and was emceed by host of Nasdaq Listings Kristina Ayanian, with a moving performance by System of a Down’s Serj Tankian.
The guest list included Arman Tsarukyan, Mary Basmadjian, Michael Goorjian, Sona Movsesian, Dave Farina, Councilmember Adrin Nazarian and Katherine Sarafian.
Celebrating 15 years, the gala highlighted the organization’s mission to deliver life-changing learning experiences to young people on a global scale, reflecting on its impact and growth while looking ahead to the next generation of students empowered through technology, creativity and innovation. The evening raised $17 million which will enable the organization’s continued growth and expansion in Armenia.
Taking place at Vibiana in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 20, guests were immersed in a striking visual light experience by People of Ar throughout the evening that brought the creativity of TUMO students to life. The installation was inspired by student sketches alongside work from TUMO’s 3D scanning program, through which students digitally preserved Armenian monasteries and cultural landmarks in territories that have fallen outside Armenian control as a result of war. Blending art, technology and cultural preservation, the experience offered a powerful look at how TUMO students are using their skills to connect creativity with history and heritage.
“Fifteen years ago, TUMO began with a simple belief: that when young people have the freedom to discover their talents, they have the power to shape not only their own futures, but the future of an entire nation,” said TUMO founders Sam and Sylva Simonian. “Since then, we’ve watched thousands of young people walk through TUMO’s doors and grow into confident young adults who know their ideas matter.”
The evening honored Vahe Kuzoyan, co-founder and President of ServiceTitan, Ara Mahdessian, co-founder and CEO of ServiceTitan, and Rev Lebaredian, Vice President of Physical AI Simulation at NVIDIA – who played a key role in launching Firebird, Armenia’s first high-performance AI computing cluster and establishing Armenia as a new strategic hub for artificial intelligence computing. Serj Tankian took the stage for a special performance, treating guests to several fan-favorites and offering an intimate glimpse into his latest work.
