Mental health is as essential as physical health in shaping a healthy, balanced and thriving individual. Guided by this belief, on May 3, the Armenian community of Los Angeles County gathered for a groundbreaking event dedicated to promoting mental wellness — the Arev Armenian Wellness Festival for Kids and Families. Throughout the day, more than 600 Armenian children and families from Glendale, Burbank, North Hollywood, Granada Hills and other cities with significant Armenian populations participated in the festival’s activities, workshops and wellness programs. The choice of Glendale as the festival’s location carried special significance, as the city is home to one of the largest Armenian communities outside of Armenia.

Organized by the Oolik Educational organization under Urartu Inc. and sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH), the Arev Armenian Wellness Festival for Kids and Families was created as a community-driven response to the growing mental health challenges facing children, teenagers and families. The festival aimed to raise awareness about mental wellness, reduce stigma surrounding mental health conversations and provide culturally relevant resources by bringing together mental health professionals, educators and community organizations.

“Through the many festivals, educational programs, and cultural events our organization has organized for the Armenian community, we have had the opportunity to engage with parents and health care professionals. These conversations revealed significant concerns surrounding mental health, particularly among children and teenagers, and highlighted the challenges families face in finding reliable information, resources and support,” said Nelli Ghukasyan, a festival organizer.

“Because of these growing challenges, we recognized the importance of addressing mental health as a priority. We are deeply grateful to LACDMH for recognizing the importance of the mental health and wellbeing of Armenian children and families and for sponsoring this vital community event.”

The festival’s opening ceremony at Glendale’s Pacific Community Center was led by Anna Yaralyan, Psy.D. at LACDMH, and liaison of the Eastern European/Middle Eastern (EE/ME) UsCC subcommittee, along with Nelli Ghukasyan. In opening remarks, Dr. Yaralyan highlighted the importance of supporting children’s emotional wellbeing from an early age.

“Promoting children’s wellbeing, happiness and positive mental health is an essential part of keeping them safe and helping them develop socially, emotionally and behaviorally. These early experiences play a significant role in shaping their future and helping them become well-rounded individuals,” said Dr. Yaralyan. “On behalf of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, it is my great honor and pleasure to bring the Arev Festival to our community in collaboration with Oolik. The knowledge, connections and memories created at this festival will stay with families and children for years to come.”

A central element of the festival was a series of educational seminars led by mental health professionals. Seminar topics were carefully selected based on conversations and surveys conducted with parents and mental health professionals to ensure that the content reflected the real concerns and challenges facing Armenian families. Throughout the day, eight renowned experts presented seminars on current topics and engaged directly with parents by answering questions and offering guidance on issues affecting children and families. Discussions addressed children’s emotional wellbeing, domestic violence, mothers’ mental health during pregnancy and postpartum periods, children’s self-esteem and confidence, the effects of technology on a developing brain, strategies for preventing substance use among adolescents and parenting.

One of the seminar speakers, Violet Mesrkhani, Ph.D., who addressed the impact of technology and unlimited screen time, expressed her appreciation for the festival; “It is extremely important to have opportunities to speak with our community about mental health, and I am grateful that this festival provided everyone with access to valuable information free of charge.”

Speaker, Serina Nersisian, LMFT, shared her positive experience participating in the festival; “Thank you so much for organizing such an incredible event for our Armenian community. It was clear how much care and hard work went into making it such a success. I want to thank you for including me among such a wonderful panel of speakers. I truly enjoyed sharing information and connecting with Armenian parents in our community.”

Throughout the festival, the joy and excitement of children filled every corner of the Glendale Pacific Community Center. The Armenian Wellness Festival offered families a full day of interactive and enriching experiences designed to nurture children’s creativity, confidence and emotional wellbeing. Children and teenagers participated in a variety of hands-on activities, including robotics, arts and crafts, chess, martial arts, floral design, cooking, dance and tennis. Therapeutic activities were selected to encourage creativity, focus, self-expression, teamwork and confidence-building.

The STEM educational center Tinker Club brought a world of technology, creativity and innovation to the festival, including interactive robotics activities to build children’s self-esteem and emotional resilience.

“We are happy to be part of this festival, which includes activities such as STEM to show that hands-on experiences can help reduce stress by giving children a sense of accomplishment and control, while collaborative projects encourage social skills and teamwork,” said Meline Zohrabian, Founder and Director of Tinker Club.

The festival also highlighted the importance of healthy lifestyle choices through interactive nutrition education. Nutritionist Sabin Eisaian transformed learning about food into a fun experience by inviting children to become “sugar detectives.” Through an engaging activity, children explored how much sugar is hidden in popular drinks, cereals and snacks, learning about its impact on health and discovering ways to make better choices.

One of the most popular experiences was the opportunity for children to learn the traditional Armenian art of making lavash, the iconic Armenian flatbread, guided by the founders of Mush Lavash, a community-recognized organization with a long-standing commitment to preserving Armenian culinary traditions.

The festival’s sports and intellectual activities were another highlight, featuring tennis, martial arts and chess programs led by experienced instructors and respected professionals from Los Angeles-area clubs, demonstrating how structured play and skill-building can contribute to children’s emotional resilience and personal growth. Levon Altounian, International Master, eight-time California State Champion, and founder of the Angeleno Chess Club, shared his reflections on the importance of chess as a developmental and therapeutic activity.

“It was a really wonderful event, and I am grateful for the opportunity to participate,” said Altounian. “For many children, especially those who enjoy strategy games, chess creates a safe environment to practice critical thinking, managing emotions, learning from mistakes, and building confidence — skills that can extend beyond the chessboard into school, relationships and everyday life.”

The floral art station also attracted significant attention, allowing children to express their creativity while designing beautiful flower arrangements. Other art areas provided opportunities for children to draw and build sandcastles.

The Arev Festival stage featured inspiring performances by children’s and young adults’ song and dance groups, music schools and educational institutions. Young performers shared their creativity through music and dance, creating an atmosphere of celebration and connection while inspiring families to explore the arts and extracurricular activities that contribute to holistic development and overall wellbeing.

“Thank you to the organizers for bringing another exceptional event to our city,” said Glendale City Council Member Elen Asatryan. “The Arev Wellness Festival is a wonderful example of what our community can achieve when we come together with purpose and heart. Your dedication to enriching the lives of Glendale families is truly appreciated.”

The festival featured a dedicated resource center, where representatives from public and private mental health organizations connected directly with families, answered questions and provided information about services and support programs. Participating organizations included LACDMH, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Glendale Police Department Substance Abuse and Wellness Resource Program, the Armenian American School Psychology Association and other community organizations.

Nancy Quevedo, representing LACDMH’s United Mental Health Promoters Program, emphasized the importance of community outreach and education: “We are here providing mental health resources for the community, and it has been a great pleasure to be part of this meaningful event.”

The festival’s success was reflected in the smiles, excitement and active participation of children throughout the day. Their enthusiasm and engagement demonstrated the importance of creating spaces where children can learn, express themselves, build confidence and connect with others in a supportive environment. Parents also emphasized the value of the festival, noting that it provided an opportunity to access valuable mental health information, receive professional guidance, learn about available community resources a...

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