On July 13, the fourth session of the “Advocacy and Media” atelier of the first “Armenia. Create Together” youth forum (organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora, in association with the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Luys Foundation and Ayb Foundation) continued at the office of the Armenian General Benevolent Union in Yerevan. The session was entitled “Advocating Abroad” and moderated by Deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Karen Bekaryan.

In her speech entitled “Advocating in the USA”, Regional Director of the Armenian Assembly of America in Armenia Arpi Vartanian talked about the need of advocating and organizing advocacy for Armenia and Artsakh effectively, preparing short, yet comprehensive materials and addressing them to U.S. Congressmen. “Today, the issue of Artsakh is in the focus of all Armenians around the world, and every Armenian in the Diaspora is thinking about how he or she can help Nagorno-Karabakh. I insist that every Armenian visit Artsakh and Armenia, see what the people need and what problems they face and then help the Homeland,” Vartanian stated.

Communication correspondent of the ARF-D Armenian National Committee of Europe Bedo Demirjian delivered a speech entitled “Effective Policy on Armenian Issues and Adoption of Decisions in Europe”. The speaker seconded Arpi Vartanian’s opinion that Diaspora Armenians must first visit Armenia and Artsakh and then advocate Armenian issues to the Senates and governments of foreign countries. Demirjian also talked about the lobbying of Armenian communities in Europe and the results that have been achieved.

Bedo Demirjian stated that some Armenian organizations of Europe have started collaborating and expressed certainty that the results of that collaboration would soon be visible.

Chairman of AGBU Europe Nicholas Tavitian delivered a speech entitled “About the Policy of Results and What Europe Can Do for the Armenians and Armenia”.

He stated that AGBU Europe was particularly focused on promoting economic relations between Europe and Armenia, providing assistance to Armenia and Artsakh as effectively as possible, organizing the protection of Armenian cultural values in Europe and lobbying for the Armenian Genocide and the Artsakh issue.

President of Eurasian Media Group Vardan Toghanyan gave a speech entitled “Advocating in Russia” and also placed emphasis on the precision and formulation of the messages of the Armenians from Armenia and all Armenians around the world. “It is very important not to mix the process with the results. The publication of several books devoted to the Armenian Genocide is the process, but what is the result? I think Arpi Vartanian was right when she noted that the heads and societies of foreign states aren’t interested in vast amounts of literature. Small informative leaflets about Armenia and Artsakh are more accessible and understandable for them.”

The moderator of the session, Deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Karen Bekaryan stated that the Artsakh issue must be the first item on the pan-national agenda. “I would like to thank all the speakers for properly presenting the activities of the Armenian National Committees in their respective countries and other activities and for raising the issues. Of course, as long as the international community hasn’t recognized Artsakh as an independent state, we Armenians need to use all the possible levers to raise the issue effectively and find solutions. Some of those levers are the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by several U.S. cities, the establishment of sister ties between cities of Artsakh and European cities, meetings of the parliamentarians of Artsakh and different countries and the engagement of Artsakh in several U.S. programs as a party.”

In closing, Bekaryan stated the following: “There are two formulas for our activities. The first is to believe in the righteousness of our efforts and work towards that, and the second is to work together because only in that case will we achieve victory.”

At the end of the meeting, the participants asked the speakers their questions and received exhaustive answers.