2 May: AYF Night in the Bay

Come Join Fellow Armenians for a Fun Social Night to Bring the Community Together!

Your ticket includes food and drinks at the bar, so all you have to do is show up, connect and enjoy the night. Bring your friends, meet new people and be part of a great night in the Bay!  Hope to see you there! 

Purchase tickets via Zelle: rosdom@ayfwest.org

2 May 7pm: Table read of the play “On the Other Side of Mount Ararat,”

The Cultural Organization of the St Andrew Armenian Church invites you to a special table read of the play “On the Other Side of Mount Ararat,” written by Mariam Manoukian (Emma Raffi). This powerful work is dedicated to the heroic defense of the people of Van in 1915.

Following the reading, we will host an active discussion regarding the play’s format and its creative impact. It’s a wonderful opportunity to gather for remembrance and meaningful conversation.  Light appetizers and wine will be served.

When: May 2nd, 7PM
Where: Amerian Hall, St. Andrew Armenian Church
Introduction by: Author Mariam Manoukian

Mariam is also author of The Sword of Iarsha, a play performed in Yerevan in 2018. 
We look forward to seeing you there! 🍷

15 May: KZV Armenian School Gala

DETAILS AND TICKETS 

Dear KZV Community,

Please join us for KZV Armenian School’s 46th Anniversary Benefit Gala, a special evening dedicated to celebrating our school and supporting its continued growth.

This year’s gala will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the beautiful Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Guests will enjoy an elegant evening of cocktails, curated food stations, and time to reconnect with friends, families, and fellow supporters of KZV. The night will also include casino-style tournament gaming, with prizes awarded to the top players, as well as a silent auction, dancing, and music by DJ Raffy.

Please be sure to purchase your tickets by Friday, May 8th.

We look forward to gathering as a community and celebrating this meaningful milestone together.

Tickets:

General Admission — $125
Includes entry and food stations

Premium — $200
Includes entry, food stations, two hosted beverages, and $75 in gaming chips

VIP — $275
Includes entry, food stations, four hosted beverages, and $150 in gaming chips

Sponsorship Opportunities

We invite you to consider becoming an event sponsor and helping to shape an evening that celebrates and strengthens our community. Your support ensures the continued growth of our school while creating a truly special experience for all who attend.

  • Platinum — $10,000 (includes 8 Premium tickets)
  • Gold — $5,000 (includes 4 Premium tickets)
  • Silver — $2,500 (includes 2 Premium tickets)
  • Bronze — $1,000
  • Friends of KZV — $500

In addition to ticketed entry, the evening will include opportunities to further support our mission through donations, gaming, and special fundraising moments throughout the night. Additional gaming chips will be available for purchase during the event.

If you are unable to attend, we warmly invite you to still take part in supporting our school. Contributions of any amount are deeply appreciated and make a meaningful impact. Donations can be made on the Benefit Gala webpage.

Tickets are now available:
https://www.kzv.org/benefitgala

Your participation helps sustain and strengthen the programs and experiences that define our KZV Community. We hope you will join us for this special occasion.


Warmly,

The KZV Fundraising Committee

18 May: Armenia and Azerbaijan after the Washington Accords: What Is Left of the Conflict?

Armenia and Azerbaijan after the Washington Accords: What Is Left of the Conflict?

Event Link

Monday, May 18, 2026
12:30pm PT

Encina Commons, Rm. 123
615 Crothers Way, Stanford, CA 94305

Event Details:

This event will explore the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, which began in the final years of the Soviet Union, claimed tens of thousands of lives, and displaced hundreds of thousands. Guest speaker Olesya Vartanyan has spent more than 15 years working in conflict zones across the South Caucasus. She will discuss where Armenia and Azerbaijan stand today following a series of peace agreements reached at the White House in the summer of 2025. Drawing on years of on-the-ground research, Olesya will take the audience inside the negotiation process, while also offering a more personal perspective: insights from the field that bring the current situation to life and highlight the challenges that continue to shape this fragile peace.

Please RSVP here.

Olesya Vartanyan is a conflict analyst with over 15 years of experience specializing in research, advocacy, and conflict resolution in the South Caucasus. She has recently started her PhD studies at George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Olesya also contributes to EVN Report analyzing regional dynamics in her column “Beyond Borders,” and writes articles and analysis for leading think tanks, including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, ISPI, and others.

Previously, Olesya worked with leading international organizations, including the International Crisis Group, Freedom House, and the OSCE. She conducted field investigations and authored influential reports on conflict zones such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh, shaping policy recommendations for governments and international bodies while participating in confidential peace processes. Her efforts earned her the International Young Women’s Peace Award in 2024.

Before transitioning to conflict analysis, Olesya was an investigative journalist reporting on security issues in the South Caucasus. During the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, her field reporting contributed to The New York Times’ groundbreaking investigations into the conflict’s origins. She also gained rare access to Abkhazia, covering crisis developments for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and producing an award-winning radio documentary on missing persons from the Georgia-Abkhazia war.