From September 29 to October 1, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan was on a working visit to Bucharest.

The visit began with the meeting of Minister Hranush Hakobyan and State Secretary of the Government of Romania for Religious Affairs Victor Opaski. During the meeting, the sides discussed issues related to the Armenian community of Romania, particularly the activities that the Armenian Church has been carrying out in Romania for centuries. Minister Hranush Hakobyan talked about the current process of and plans for the Armenia-Diaspora partnership aimed at helping preserve the cultural heritage of the Diaspora. Highlighting the special contributions that the Romanian-Armenian community has made to Romania’s advancement, the State Secretary of the Government of Romania for Religious Affairs presented the state support programs and joint events organized for religious minorities, particularly the Armenian Diocese of Romania. The sides discussed issues on organizing the solemn events dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Holy Archangels Church (Armenian Prelacy of Bucharest) in November.

In the second half of the day, Minister Hranush Hakobyan visited the Center for the Armenians of Romania, that is, the Mother Cathedral (Prelacy) of Bucharest, the Committee of the Union of Armenians of Romania, Ararat Publishing House and Printing House, the local Sunday school, the museum and library located within the Dudyan Cultural Center where a meeting was organized with members of the Romanian-Armenian community at the initiative of President of the Union of Armenians of Romania Varoujan Vosganian. The minister presented the main programs and directions for the Armenia-Diaspora partnership, the current challenges, the major events dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial and the current results, as well as listened to and answered questions of the Romanian-Armenians’ concern.

The next morning, on September 30, in the Parliament of Romania, Minister Hranush Hakobyan had a meeting with members of the Group of National Minorities, which has been led by representative of the Armenian national minority Varujan Pambukchyan. The meeting was attended by delegates representing the Greek, Jewish, German and other national minorities, who presented the situation and the rights of national minorities in Romania. The Minister of Diaspora expressed special gratitude to the Greek, Jewish and Gypsy minorities for supporting the Romanian-Armenians in the issue of the Armenian Genocide and voiced hope that there would be a solution to the issue in Romania soon.

The Minister of Diaspora attended the plenary session of the Parliament of Romania as a guest of honor.

Afterwards, Minister Hranush Hakobyan participated in the solemn session devoted to the 25^th anniversary of the reopening of the Union of Armenians of Romania at the Main Hall of the Central Library of Carol I University of Bucharest. The event was attended by President of the Senate of Romania Calin Popesku Taricheanu, Prime Minister Victor Ponta, representative of the President of Romania Serjiu Nistor, former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Petre Roman, President of the Union of Armenians of Romania Varoujan Vosganian, leader of the Group of National Minorities of the Parliament of Romania Varujan Pambukchyan, representatives of national minorities, parliamentarians and other high-ranking officials and guests.

President of Romania Klaus Iohannis had sent an address on the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of the Union of Armenians of Romania, which reads as follows: “The antiquity of the relations between the residents living on the land of the Armenians and the Romanians is now a bridge of coexistence and establishes a connection between cultural values, arts and aspirations. History has not spared us, often putting us in situations where our only hope has been to have faith and be united. These are fundamental values when today, as we celebrate the reopening of the Union of Armenians of Romania after 1990, we recall the dramatic moments in the lives of the Armenian communities in the early 20^th century,” as stated in the presidential address. In his welcome speech, Prime Minister Ponta expressed his support to the Armenian community and to the programs devoted to the Armenian cultural heritage in Romania. In his speech, President of the Senate Taricheanu talked about the 25^th anniversary of the Union of Armenians of Romania and linked that to the year marking the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

In her welcome speech, Minister Hranush Hakobyan expressed gratitude to the people and authorities of Romania, especially for creating favorable conditions for the tens of thousands of Armenians having taken shelter in Romania following the Armenian Genocide to live, learn and create. “I would like to express my gratitude to President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, who was the first of the Presidents of Romania who, on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, expressed his solidarity with the Armenian people and announced the following: ��?A century after the tragic events of 1915, I bow in memory of the Armenian victims and those who have resisted the historic catastrophes and trials and tribulations for decades, starting from the early 20^th century. Hundreds of thousands of innocent Armenians died in that horrible crime, which mankind is casting a shade on and which is now pushing us towards recognition and reconciliation. Recognition of the tragedy of the Armenian people is an important and necessary signal for extirpating hatred, intolerance, racism and xenophobia.’ We hope the call doesn’t remain unanswered, the process of recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide moves to a new stage and we witness new developments in the process of recognition and condemnation in the future.”

During the event, Minister Hranush Hakobyan handed the Medal of Gratitude to leader of the Group of National Minorities of the Parliament of Romania Varujan Pambukchyan. The medal was conferred by the President of the Republic of Armenia and was granted to him for his notable contributions to the proper organizing and conduct of the events dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Romania.

In the afternoon on that same day, Minister Hranush Hakobyan met with Romanian Minister for Romanians Abroad Angel Tlvar. During the meeting, the sides presented the main functions and policies of their government agencies, as well as their programs and the main principles for working with the Diaspora. Praising the programs that are carried out for the preservation of Armenian identity and cultural heritage in the Armenian Diaspora and the experience that the RA Ministry of Diaspora has gained in that sphere, the Romanian minister expressed the desire to see the continuation of relations and consultations between the two government agencies. In this regard, the sides exchanged views on the perspectives of establishment of relations and cooperation between the Armenian and Romanian structures for the Diaspora, focusing on the Romanian-Armenians living in different Armenian communities.

In the evening, Minister Hranush Hakobyan participated in and delivered a speech during the official reception dedicated to Armenia’s Independence Day and to the 25^th anniversary of the Union of Armenians of Romania. The event was attended by Members of the Parliament of Romania and Romanian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of the Armenian community.

On October 1, Minister Hranush Hakobyan gave an interview to the Public Television of Romania, visited the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, the museum showcasing the collections of notable benefactor for the arts Grigor Zambakchyan, as well as the Armenian Prelacy where she had a meeting with Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Romania, Bishop Tatev Hakobyan.

RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Romania Hamlet Gasparyan was accompanying Minister Hranush Hakobyan during the entire visit.