On October 26, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan had several official meetings with representatives of Swedish state and political organizations on the last day of her visit to Sweden.

The minister met with Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Margot Valstriom, who greeted Minister Hranush Hakobyan and expressed her satisfaction with the recent notable development of the Armenian-Swedish cooperation marked by active dialogue at the highest level, the opening of embassies and the strengthening of multifaceted cooperation.

The minister expressed Armenia’s interest in the development of all-embracing cooperation with Sweden, which is due to not only political or economic interests, but also, first and foremost, the similarities between values. Hranush Hakobyan attached importance to the active support and constructive role of Armenia’s friendly countries and particularly Sweden’s active support and constructive role for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and emphasized that Armenia is grateful for a relevant political evaluation of the Armenian Genocide by the Parliament of Sweden.

The sides touched upon the current state of Syrians having become refugees as a result of the crisis in Syria and exchanged views on the actions being taken to receive the huge flows of refugees in different countries, as well as the possibility of cooperation in that sphere.

The minister also had a meeting with State Secretary for Migration Lars Vestbrat. The sides discussed the issues facing the Syrian-Armenians having taken shelter in Sweden and the perspectives of cooperation to solve those issues. Minister Hranush Hakobyan presented the programs that Armenia is carrying out for refugees from Syria, and the sides exchanged views on the perspectives of the exchange of rich experiences in receiving refugees in both countries.

Continuing her official meetings, Minister Hranush Hakobyan had a meeting with General Secretary of the Governmental Commission for Support to Religious Communities of Sweden Oke Joranson.

Joranson provided details about the main areas of his organization’s activities, as well as the programs that have been carried out with the Armenian ecclesiastical community to this day. Expressing gratitude for the great financial assistance provided for acquisition of the St. Mary Church of Södertälje, Minister Hranush Hakobyan mentioned that church councils have been established and are operating in all Armenian-populated cities of Sweden and are making great efforts to organize the religious and cultural life of the communities, which would have been difficult without the active support and sponsorship of the Governmental Commission for Support to the Religious Communities of Sweden. The minister voiced hope that the support would be ongoing.

Afterwards, Minister Hranush Hakobyan met with President of the Christian Council of Sweden, Honorable Doctor Karin Viborn, who has provided great assistance to the Armenian community to organize several religious and cultural events dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide throughout the year. Greeting the minister, Dr. Viborn emphasized that the Armenian ecclesiastical community of Sweden has its special place and role in the religious life of the country and mentioned that the Armenian ecclesiastical community is able to organize the life of the faithful Armenians and educate them to love the church.

The minister expressed her satisfaction with the close partnership established between ecclesiastical organizations of the Swedish-Armenian community and the Christian Council of Sweden and attached importance to the Council’s ongoing support for proper organization of the religious and parish life of the community. The minister also expressed Armenia’s gratitude for the great support to the ecumenical ceremony for commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide held at the Sturshirka Mother Cathedral of Stockholm on April 24.

In the evening, Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan left for Upsala where the Armenian community of Sweden was established nearly half a century ago. At the main hall of the theater in Upsala, the minister had a meeting with representatives of the community during which the perspectives of the development of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership and issues concerning the community were discussed.