History of Homenetmen
HO – MEN – ET – MEN in Armenian, is the acronym for ARMENIAN PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SCOUTING GENERAL UNION. Homenetmen's motto is Partsratsir Partsratsour "Elevate yourself and elevate others with you". Dating back to 1910, Armenians living in Constantinople participated and prospered in various athletic groups. One of the coaches of these groups, Shavarsh Krissian, with the help of his periodical “Manramarz” publicised the need to unite all Armenians under one organisation. Unification plans were halted as in 1914 World War I began. Soon after in 1915 the Armenian Genocide tragically took the life of Shavarsh Krissian as he along with other Armenian intellectuals and leaders were killed at the Ayachi prison in Bosporus.
With the end of the war, a new group of Armenians set out to continue Krissian’s dream. Seven Armenians convened a meeting in Constantinople on November 16, 1918 in order to unite all of the Armenian athletic group under the name “Homenetmen” (Armenian Physical Culture and Scouting General Union.
With the end of the war, a new group of Armenians set out to continue Krissian’s dream. Seven Armenians convened a meeting in Constantinople on November 16, 1918 in order to unite all of the Armenian athletic group under the name “Homenetmen” (Armenian Physical Culture and Scouting General Union.
In 1920, the founding members of Homenetmen, were officially invited to the independent Republic of Armenia. The purpose of the meeting was to share both their knowledge and expertise regarding athleticism and scouting with the Republic’s government. The Homenetmen Executive Committee sent Vahan Cheraz, Dikran Khoian, and Onig Yazma jian to the meeting. Although initially successful in their efforts to spread Homenetmen’s athletic and scouting movement within Armenia, l Homenetmen later was banned from Armenia after Armenia’s succession into the Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1924, the organisation’s development resumed establishing a chapter in Beirut, Lebanon, and later on in 1925 in Aleppo, Syria. From that point on Homenetmen continued to organise chapters within the large Armenian communities in the area. Homenetmen has since established a chapter in Armenia, as well as various chapters in the Armenian diaspora, including in many cities in the Middle East, Europe, United States, Canada, South America and Australia. Almost all chapters established have activities in Scouting and sports. The mission of Homenetmen is to prepare physically strong Armenians and exemplary citizens with the highest intellectual and spiritual virtues.
The Bylaws
Soon after its creation, Homenetmen developed a charter and bylaw to regulate the organization’s operations and activities across its ever-increasing chapters, reinforce the relationship between chapters and the Central Committee, and establish an order for the admittance of new. For that reason, Homenetmen created a committee of three leaders (H. J. Sirouni, Krikor Hagopian and Dikran Khoyian) to manage the task of drafting the organization’s Charter and Bylaw.
Together with the organization’s first Charter and Bylaw, the first Homenetmen Scouting Charter was also developed. It was comprised of 33 articles.
Later on, the Homenetmen Charter and Bylaw and the Homenetmen Scouting Charter were revised during the first Homenetmen General Assembly, held in Paris in 1931.
In modern times, the Homenetmen Charter and Bylaw was subjected to an overall revision. It was approved and adopted by the General Assembly in 1974, in Beirut. This Assembly was the first one with representatives from the organization’s worldwide structure. Since then, the Charter and Bylaw have been revised and improved on nine further occasions.
The introductory paragraph of the Charter and Bylaw declares: “Homenetmen’s General Charter and Bylaw is inspired by the organization’s unwritten character and demographic principles that are the pillars of our youth-focused and idealistic organization”.
Homenetmen’s current Charter and Bylaw is comprised of 143 articles that were last revised and approved by the organization’s 12th General Assembly in Armenia in 2019.
Later on, the Homenetmen Charter and Bylaw and the Homenetmen Scouting Charter were revised during the first Homenetmen General Assembly, held in Paris in 1931.
In modern times, the Homenetmen Charter and Bylaw was subjected to an overall revision. It was approved and adopted by the General Assembly in 1974, in Beirut. This Assembly was the first one with representatives from the organization’s worldwide structure. Since then, the Charter and Bylaw have been revised and improved on nine further occasions.
The introductory paragraph of the Charter and Bylaw declares: “Homenetmen’s General Charter and Bylaw is inspired by the organization’s unwritten character and demographic principles that are the pillars of our youth-focused and idealistic organization”.
Homenetmen’s current Charter and Bylaw is comprised of 143 articles that were last revised and approved by the organization’s 12th General Assembly in Armenia in 2019.