06/08/2026
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the French took control of the region of Cilicia, and a large-scale repatriation campaign was organized to send Armenian refugees back to their hometowns. The return to Cilicia symbolized a potential normalcy for the refugees. AGBU worked to create essential infrastructure for socio-economic growth, establishing schools, medical facilities, and agricultural investments.
Two years later, however, the period of optimism came to an end as Armenians were once again forced to flee Cilicia after the French ceded the region to the nascent Turkish Republic. AGBU leadership reacted quickly, evacuating Armenians and resettling them in Syria and Lebanon.
To learn more about AGBU and its storied history, visit: https://agbu.org/who-we-are