SYDNEY: Held over three days, on the 23rd, 25th & 26th June 2025, members of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Head Office returned to Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstaun College for the eighth iteration of the Galstaun Government Program.
The #GalstaunGovernment program, established in 2018 as one of the organisation’s first #ANCAUOutreach initiatives, has been inspiring young Armenians and fostering civic engagement since its inception through practical workshops and real-world simulations to help Armenian-Australian High School students understand the significant impact politics has on the daily lives of Australian citizens.
Conducted on the grounds of Australia’s largest Armenian-run everyday school over three days, the program commenced with students from years 8, 9 & 10 forming political parties, selecting their parties’ names, and appointing leadership roles - including Leaders, Deputy Leaders, and Ministers for key portfolios.
On day 2, year 8 students engaged in a mock parliamentary debate on whether phones should be banned in schools, learning about parliamentary protocols, hung parliaments and how motions & legislation is passed in the Australian Lower House. In typical parliamentary fashion, the debate brought all the drama: a botched leadership spill, ejected MP’s and a tight final vote on banning phones.
The apex of the program was held on day 3, where year 9 & 10 students pitched their party policies to their fellow classmates during a mock leaders debate. This saw students from each party debate a variety of policy ideas, from calling for more sports facilities and P.E. lessons, to shorter school days and less homework. Following a preferential vote by the student body, a clear winner was elected to lead the Galstaun Government: ‘Galstaun Nation’; taking half of the primary vote.
The ANC-AU’s Political Affairs Officer, Sebastian Majarian, said: “The Galstaun Government Program is one of the highlights of the year in the ANC-AU Office. It’s great to meet with the future of our community and teach them about how democracy and politics actually function in Australia. Even for students who aren’t planning to pursue a career in politics or related fields, the skills and knowledge that they acquire through the program will ensure that they are informed, politically engaged citizens in the future.”
Ani Poliopoulos, a former participant of the #GalstaunGovernment program and now an Administrative Assistant at the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), exemplifies the program's success in fostering future leaders within the Armenian-Australian community. Her journey from student participant to staff member at the peak public affairs body highlights the program's impact in inspiring civic engagement and leadership among young Armenian-Australians.
The Armenian National Committee of Australia National Board and Office expressed its sincere thanks to Galstaun College Principal, Edward Demirdjian, for once again providing the ANC-AU with the opportunity to run this important program.
