The RA Ministry of Diaspora has started accepting applications for the 2016 “Ari Tun” Program. This year, the RA Ministry of Diaspora expects to see a turnout of about 1,100 young Diaspora Armenians between the ages of 13 and 18. For details, visit aritun.am.

The parents of the participants of the “Ari Tun” Program, as well as sponsors or community organizations only cover travel expenses, while the Government of the Republic of Armenia covers all the other expenses for the participants’ 15-day stay in Armenia.

“It is very important to engage host families, who host the Diaspora Armenian youth with the principle of volunteerism and receive some kind of financial reward for that,” Chief of Staff of the RA Ministry of Diaspora Firdus Zakaryan said during a March 25 press conference devoted to the “Ari Tun” Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for the homeland recognition of Diaspora Armenian youth at the RA Ministry of Diaspora, reports Hayern Aysor.

On behalf of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, Firdus Zakaryan expressed gratitude to all the families and communities that have been unconditionally hosting the youth in their homes for all these years. “The host families also help form the opinions of the participants of the “Ari Tun” Program. The participants often become so attached to the host families that they continue their friendship even after the Program,” Firdus Zakaryan said.

Over the past 7 years, about 5,000 host families have hosted 5,500 Diaspora Armenian boys and girls in Armenia.

The host families are not only from Yerevan, but also the Kotayk, Ararat, Aragatsotn and Armavir Provinces, which are not far away from Yerevan. The Ministry of Diaspora helps and supports the regional governors’ offices of Armenia’s provinces and the administrative districts of Yerevan.

“The representatives of the districts of Yerevan and I visit the host families to find out to what extent the particular host family is prepared to host a young Diaspora Armenian. In the provinces, we make visits with representatives of the staffs of regional governors’ offices. It is my pleasure to state that none of the participants have expressed any discontent throughout all these years,” Zakaryan stated.

Let us also add that staying with the host families also helps the young Diaspora Armenians become familiar with the morals, customs and lifestyles of Armenian families.