On Fri., May 1, Ani L. Kharajian of the Harvard Business School (HBS) will moderate a panel discussion entitled, “Transforming Cynicism into Success: Diasporan Involvement in Armenia’s Economic Development.” The program is organized by the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) and is co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Armenian Society.

How can the talent of the Armenian Diaspora be useful to Armenia in the current environment? What are the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurial engagement in Armenia today? How do those engaged in development describe their motivation? These are among the topics that will be discussed in this timely forum that will feature a diverse group of panelists involved in different aspects of Armenia’s economy.

Moderator Ani L. Kharajian is the senior director of New Markets, Executive Education, at Harvard Business School. Over a three-decade career at HBS, Kharajian has worked on strategic international projects for the HBS in Africa, China, Europe, Latin America, and most recently in India.

The event begins at 7 p.m. at MIT, Building 35, Room 225 (Sloan Lab), 127 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, contact NAASR by calling (617) 489-1610 or e-mailing hq@naasr.org.