Armenia’s Diaspora Commissioner in Brazil Wins Gold in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Armenia’s Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs in Brazil, Abraham Kulajian, won a gold medal in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the Rio International Championship, adding an international sports title to his work representing Armenia and its diaspora.

After the victory, Kulajian said he hopes his participation in international competitions will encourage young Armenians across the diaspora to take up sports while staying connected to their heritage.

“I hope our participation in international championships, proudly raising the flags of both our ancestral homeland and our adopted nations, will inspire the new generation of Armenian youth to practice more sports and pursue healthy, productive and purposeful lives,” Kulajian said.

Kulajian was born in Aleppo, Syria, and is a fourth-generation descendant of Armenian Genocide survivors. 

He studied engineering at the University of Aleppo and was active in Armenian youth, scouting and community organizations.

His family left Syria after the outbreak of the civil war and settled in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. Kulajian later completed his civil engineering studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and earned a professional MBA in asset and investment management from the University of Geneva School of Economics and Management.

As Armenia’s commissioner for diaspora affairs in Brazil, Kulajian works to strengthen ties between Armenia and the Armenian community in the country. His work includes encouraging repatriation, preserving Armenian language, culture and history among younger generations, supporting Armenian churches and cultural organizations, and raising awareness of Armenia across Brazil.

The gold medal adds another dimension to Kulajian’s work in the diaspora, combining public service and sports as platforms to represent Armenia abroad.