The “Ari Tun” Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora has “spread its wings wide” and is “taking with it” young Armenians representing the Armenian communities of various countries around the world.

This time my interlocutors are 17-year-old Hrag Markarian and 13-year-old Karine Demirjian from Jordan.

Karine is visiting Armenia for the first tie. She says she’s very content with the visit and wants to come back. Unlike Karine, Hrag is visiting Armenia for the second time. He mentioned that he got a lot out of the program. “The program helped me make many friends, improve my Armenian and, most importantly, it helped me love the homeland more. I met a lot of people and learned that the Armenians are much stronger in the year marking the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. Most of the children and youth participating in the “Ari Tun” Program speak in Armenian. That’s a great sign. It means that Armenians of the Diaspora aren’t forgetting Armenian.”

According to Karine and Hrag, the Armenian community of Jordan has two churches, the Yuzbashian-Gulbenkian School and two clubs where they gather and discuss and carry out programs every Friday. The two also participate in holy masses served at the local church.

Hrag said what impressed him the most were the Armenian language lessons. He mentioned that his teacher helped him improve his Armenian in a matter of days. Karine said she really liked the tours and her host family, adding that they are very nice to her. Karine dreams of coming back to Armenia and studying at the medical university to become a pharmacist.

Even though they’re still in Armenia, both Hrag and Karine say their expectations have been met. As Hrag mentioned, the “the “Ari Tun” Program is a great program, and Minister of Diaspora, Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan made a Perfect Move.”

Hripsime Galstyan

4th year student of the Faculty of Journalism of Yerevan State University