The World Youth Union of the Armenian Church was established in 2001 with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, as part of the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in Armenia. His Grace Archbishop Hovnan Terterian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the United States, was appointed as the president of the organization.

With the blessing of His Holiness the Armenian Patriarch, the Central Office of the ACYOWorld was established in 2007, located at 19A Koryun Street in Yerevan. The group was initially called the World Youth Organization of the Armenian Church (ACYOWorld), but later changed its name to the Armenian Church Youth Union (ACYOWorld).

The Armenian Church World Youth Organization (ACYOWorld) has been the organization's official name since 2015.

The Central Office of the ACYOWorld, with the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians, was relocated in 2018 to the Yerevan church-administrative building Abovian 15/1 for Armenian Patriarchs, near St. Anna and Catholic St. Astvatsatsin ACYOWorld's mission is to unite Armenian youth around the world in order to protect the Armenian identity and strengthen Homeland Armenia, to organize the use of Armenian youth potential in its cherished work of self-development, and to protect national and spiritual values.

The structure of ACYOWorld

Ա. Կենտրոնական գրասենյակից (Մայր Աթոռ Սուրբ Էջմիածին — Երեւան),
Բ. ՀԵՀԵՄ 8 Տարածաշրջաններից (Հայաստան-Վրաստան-Արցախ, Ռուսաստան եւ ԱՊՀ երկրներ,
Եվրոպա, Հրվ. Ամերիկա, Հյս. Ամերիկա, Մերձավոր Արեւելք եւ Աֆրիկա, Հնդկաստան եւ Մյանմար, Ծայրագույն Արեւելք — Ավստրալիա և Նոր Զելանդիա):

The goals of the ACYOWorld are:

  • According to the doctrine of the Armenian Church, to contribute to the spread of Christian faith and values among the youth
  • to support the cooperation of the church-loving youth unions of the diocesan youth councils by implementing joint programs with the participation of the youth of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora,
    by implementing joint programs with the participation of the youth of Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora,
  • to assist in the establishment of administrative and governing bodies of church-loving youth organizations in the dioceses of the Armenian Church in cooperation with the leaders of the dioceses and other local youth institutions for the benefit of the spiritual, national and cultural upbringing of the Armenian youth, taking into account the peculiarities of the given region or country,
  • develop and come up with competitive and effective programs that will be aimed at ensuring the national and spiritual interests, to support the self-development of young people with active, cultural, educational and professional progress in diocesan life.

The mission of the ACYOWorld is to unite the Armenian youth around the world for the survival of the Armenian identity and for the strengthening of the Armenian Homeland, to organize the use of the potential of the Armenian youth in its cherished work of self-development, protection of national and spiritual values.

The ACYOWorld operates under the authority of the Patriarch of All Armenians and the auspices of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Since its inception, the mission of the organization has been to unite youth from all dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church around the Mother Church and to educate young Armenians in the Christian and Armenian spirit. The frequent regional and local assemblies and gatherings, with their distinct formats, designated and regulated agendas, and diverse programs, in which a number of other Armenian dioceses participate, are the most significant component in this.

Here are some of the ACYOWorld deputy meetings held in Armenia and in the worldwide Armenian Dioceses at different times, as well as some regional, interregional and sub-regional meetings:

  • ACYOWorld the first Deputy Meeting, July 9-12, 2008,
  • ACYOWorld the second Deputy Meeting, July 7-11, 2011,
  • ACYOWorld the third Deputy Meeting, July 1-5, 2015,
  • ACYOWorld the fourth Deputy Meeting or ''To the Homeland, to Holy Etchmiadzin'' Pan-Armenian Youth Pilgrimage-Meeting, July 4-8, 2018,
  • The ACYOWorld Representative Meetings July 1-4 2014, October 30-November 3, 2015,
  • The ACYOWorld Europe and Russia Regional Youth Conferences: Bucharest (Romania), Berlin (Germany), Milan (Italy), Paris (France), Moscow (Russia) February 19 - March 15, 2015,
  • The ACYOWorld "Spiritual Camp", Odessa, Ukraine August 22-28, 2015,
  • The ACYOWorld the first regional representative meeting of Europe, Bologna (Italy) December 16-20, 2015,
  • The ACYOWorld subregional meetings of Europe: London (England), Stockholm (Sweden), Athens (Greece) December 15-18, 2016,
  • The ACYOWorld meeting of the spiritual leaders, patriarchal delegates and deputies of the European region, dedicated to The ACYOWorld programs in Europe, London (England) December 15, 2016,
  • The ACYOWorld “Spiritual Camp and in the youth army dedicated to the sacrament of Holy Liturgy ", Bucharest, Suchava (Romania) August 9-14, 2017
  • The ACYOWorld representative meeting: Burbank (USA), November 30-December 2, 2017
  • The ACYOWorld meeting of the Diocesan Representative Body of Russia and Europe, November 23-25, 2018,
  • The ACYOWorld “To Holy Etchmiadzin, to the Sacred Homeland” Pan-Armenian pilgrimage July 4-8, 2018,
  • The ACYOWorld Meeting of the representatives of the diocesan youth structures of the Armenian region in the Central Office of The ACYOWorld, Yerevan, February 8, 2019,
  • The ACYOWorld “To Holy Etchmiadzin, to the Sacred Artsakh” Pan-Armenian pilgrimage July 4-7, 2019,
  • The ACYOWorld The Chairmen's First Meeting of the diocesan youth organizations, Yerevan November 2-4, 2019.

The ACYOWorld, in partnership with the youth of Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora, also cooperates with relevant public and state institutions, youth organizations, university and student organizations, educational, cultural, charitable and humanitarian centers, and youth branches of parties of the Republic of Armenia.

Pilgrimages, spiritual events, seminars and celebrations on the occasion of national-church holidays are organized.