The RA Ministry of Diaspora launched the third stage of the “Ari Tun” Program for Diaspora Armenian youth’s cognitive visits to Armenia with an opening ceremony at Hakob Paronyan State Musical Comedy Theater in Yerevan on July 9^th.

Nearly 170 Armenian youth from Russia, Romania, France, Germany, Ukraine, the United States, Georgia, Israel and Belarus will be participating in the third stage.

In her welcoming remarks, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan expressed her words of gratitude to the parents of the participants who paid heed to the call of the RA Ministry of Diaspora and sent their children to Armenia with trust. “We are also very thankful to our host families for hosting the youth from different countries around the world,” said the RA Minister of Diaspora, adding: “We are especially grateful to the regional councils of Ararat, Armavir and Kotayk provinces and the districts of Yerevan for opening their doors to our participants with pleasure.”

Hranush Hakobyan also mentioned that the RA Ministry of Diaspora has organized courses for the participants as well. “We will meet next Friday and see how much each of you have learned Armenian,” said the minister to the participants.

Director of the Hakob Paronyan State Musical Comedy Theater Yervand Ghazanchyan also greeted the participants.

The event included performances by the participants from Georgia, the United States, Israel and Germany. Some of the participants said they would like to be baptized in the Homeland, to which the RA Minister of Diaspora suggested that those participants be baptized at Khor Virap.