Young Cypriot-Armenian: “I am proud to have Armenian roots”

During the July 2 ceremony marking the launch of the transitional stage of the “Ari Tun” (Come Home) educational-cognitive program at the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, there was an active boy with dark skin and bright eyes who stood out from the rest of the young Diaspora Armenians. At first, I asked myself what his nationality could be and how he had managed to participate in the “Ari Tun” program because after all, this program is only for Diaspora Armenian children and youth. With interest, I rushed to ask him questions, and when I listened to him speak Western Armenian fluently, I realized that he had Armenian roots.

The 13-year-old Cypriot-Armenian boy’s name is Norayr Barseghian. The blood of an Armenian and an Ethiopian runs in his veins. Norayr’s father is Armenian, and his mother is Ethiopian. They were both born in Ethiopian, but Norayr was born and raised in Cyprus and currently studies at the local Narek Armenian School.

Norayr says the reason why he speaks Armenian fluently is because he and his 2-year-old brother have listened to their father and only speak Armenian at home and preserve Armenian traditions. The Ethiopian mother also understands Armenian a little since she has taken Armenian language courses. With a smile on his face, Norayr said that he has taken responsibility to teach his mother Armenian and gives her “homework” on a regular basis and checks to see that she does it. True, Norayr also speaks Ethiopian, but Armenian is closer to his heart, and according to him, Armenian is one of the world’s most beautiful and most splendid languages.

“I am proud to have Armenian roots since the Armenians are talented, hard-working, kind people with a great sense of humor and have withstood many hardships. I also know that we Armenians are the first nation that adopted Christianity,” Norayr noted in an interview with Hayern Aysor.

Our interlocutor is in Armenia for the first time ever. He has always dreamed of coming to Armenia and interacting with the people in Armenia up close, and now he is glad that his dream came true through the “Ari Tun” program. Before coming to Armenia, he had explored all the see-worthy sites on the Internet and in books and will be visiting them through the program. Out of the sites that he has visited so far, he really likes the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the St. Mesrop Mashtots Armenian Church in Oshakan and the Battle of Sardarapat Memorial Complex.

Talking about his dreams, Norayr said that he wants to become a doctor to help people and heal patients.

Gevorg Chichyan

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