On July 27^th, the RA Ministry of Diaspora organized an event for the participants of the 2013 “Diaspora Summer School” Program get to know the homeland.

In the morning, the participants left Tsakhkadzor for Oshakan where they were greeted by spiritual servant of the St. Mesrob Mashtots Church of Oshakan, Priest Zorayr Karapetyan.

Afterwards, the participants of the program headed towards Etchmiadzin.

At the Mother Temple, the participants were greeted by Director of the Christian Education Center of Holy Etchmiadzin, Father, Archimandrite Vardan Navasardyan, who presented the history of the Mother Temple.

Father Vardan urged the participants to stay true to the laws of the Armenian Church, as well as the Armenian language and culture and said only with all that will it be possible to resist the dangers of assimilation and the loss of identity.

The participants headed towards Yerablur Pantheon to pay tribute to the new heroes of Armenia, including many Diaspora Armenians who defended the Homeland when it was in danger and sacrificed their lives for the Homeland of all Armenians.

The day ended with a visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial where the participants burned incense in memory of the innocent victims of the Genocide.

L. Abrahamyan