MEDFORD, Mass. — On Oct. 28, 2025, the Fletcher School at Tufts University hosted a panel, Building Trust in Democratic Institutions: Perspectives from Law, Justice and Public Service, offering timely perspectives for contemporary times. The event featured three Armenian-American public servants — Peter Koutoujian, Dr. Gabrielle Wolohojian and David Muradian — and was held as part of the Tavitian Scholars program, co-hosted by the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA).
Both organizations have long histories of supporting common goals, including collaboration, grassroots organizing and a belief in the importance of credible government institutions. The Tavitian Scholars program was established in 1999 through the Tavitian Foundation to provide mid-career public servants in Armenia a multidisciplinary graduate education while in residence at Fletcher. Each year, 16 scholars from Armenia spend the fall semester in the Boston area learning from Fletcher’s faculty about public policy and leadership, with the intention of bringing their knowledge home. This year’s cohort includes representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Bank of Armenia and Office of the Prime Minister, among others.
The Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association was founded in 1987 by a group of Cambridge residents who believed connections between Americans and residents of the former Soviet Union would be crucial to promoting world peace. The organization continues to promote friendship, mutual trust and connections between Cambridge and Yerevan, with a particular focus on appreciating diversity in both communities.
The evening opened with a cocktail reception, followed by introductory remarks from Monica Toft, professor of international politics and director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Fletcher School; CYSCA President Roxanne Etmekjian; and Tavitiian Scholar Marine Avagyan, head of the Individual Complaints Analysis Division in the Constitutional Court of Armenia.
Nancy Kalajian, a CYSCA advisor, introduced the three panelists, who collectively (and conveniently) represented all three branches of government: Peter Koutoujian, sheriff of Middlesex County, Mass. (executive branch); Dr. Gabrielle Wolohojian, associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (judicial branch); and David Muradian, Massachusetts State Representative of the 9th Worcester District (legislative branch).
Sheriff Koutoujian recollected his experience inheriting a department that had been through significant turmoil, and reminded the audience that trust cannot be given; rather, it must be earned and modeled on continuously. His reason for this approach is simple: who and what public servants serve is more important than who they are.
Justice Wolohojian, who served on the Massachusetts Appeals Court before being appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, shared that remaining connected to the fundamentals of the judicial system, such as transparency, education and access, is a grounding practice in turbulent times. She added that staying true to one’s convictions requires first understanding what they are, and that debating multiple perspectives in your own mind is crucial. We must examine our own views while actively considering others’ to fully comprehend where we stand.
Representative Muradian, as a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic state, spoke about the importance of collaborating with those who hold different views and reminded the audience that common ground is available to those who are willing to look. Like Sheriff Koutoujian, he also commented on how public servants are a small part of a very big world, and that his constituents are his boss. Honoring this means listening more than we speak and fostering environments where people want to give back to their communities.
The panelists with Tavitian Scholars and CYSCA members, including president Roxanne Etmekjian and adviser Nancy Kalajian (Photo courtesy of Jared Carney)The panel concluded with a Q&A that touched on civics education and the role of media in uplifting democracy.
Often, our best attempts to move forward and make progress are grounded in our own communities, wherever they may be.Ultimately, the evening was a timely reminder that all politics is local.
To learn more about the Tavitian Scholars program and Aso O. Tavitian’s legacy, please visit https://fletcher.tufts.edu/academics/executive-education/aso-o-tavitian-scholars-program.
To learn more about the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association, please visit https://cambridgeyerevan.org/.
The post Armenian-American public servants discuss building trust in democratic institutions appeared first on The Armenian Weekly.
No comments yet.