From July 9 to August 4, 2015, the RA Ministry of Diaspora, in association with Yerevan State University, held the fourth “Diaspora” Summer School Program, which included the following courses: Accelerated Armenian Language Instruction, Training for Diaspora Armenian Teachers, Courses for Young Diaspora Armenian Leaders, Armenian Song and Dance Courses, Courses for Diaspora Armenian Journalists and Courses for Leaders of Armenian Communities of the Diaspora.

This year, the “Diaspora” Summer School Program saw a turnout of 216 Diaspora Armenians.

The “Diaspora” Summer School Program has been held since 2012. The number of participants is gradually growing, and the program is becoming one of the programs that Diaspora Armenians demand the most. For comparison, let us mention that whereas there were 132 Diaspora Armenian participants in 2012, this year, that number almost doubled. In 2016, the organizers plan to host courses for nearly 250 participants.

Guest experts from Yerevan State University and other universities, as well as from the Diaspora and prominent cultural figures were engaged in the teaching process. All the courses included lessons on Armenian songs and dances.

The program included meetings with Chairperson of the RA National Assembly Galust Sahakyan, RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, RA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan, Head of the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of the Staff to the RA President Meri Harutyunyan, General Arkadi Ter-Tadevosyan (Komandos), composer and Merited Cultural Figure Edgar Gyanjumyan, People’s Artist and Honorary Citizen of Yerevan Suren Gyanjumyan, Merited Cultural Figure of the Republic of Armenia Gagik Ginosyan, principal ballet master of Berd Dance Ensemble Karen Gevorgyan, choirmaster of the choir of the Cultural Center of Yerevan State University Ruben Karaseferyan, Merited Artist of the Republic of Armenia Arsen Grigoryan (Mro), Merited Painter of the Republic of Armenia Anna Harutyunyan and President of the V. Khanamiryan Union of Dancers Gagik Mkhitaryan.

All the participants of the “Diaspora” Summer School Program had a meeting with RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan. During the meeting, they were introduced to Armenia’s state policy on the Diaspora, the programs and activities of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, as well as the programs that the ministry has carried out over the past seven years.

The participants of the program also had the chance to tour historical and cultural sites of Armenia (Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, the temple of Garni, Geghard Monastery, Noravank Monastery, Smbataberd Monastery, etc.), visited schools, cultural and innovative institutions (Ayb School, American University of Armenia and TUMO Center for Creative Technologies).

Accelerated Armenian Language Course

This course was held with the participation of 99 Diaspora Armenians from 9 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Lebanon, USA, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic and Romania.

The course was designed according to Armenian language proficiency (10 groups for Eastern Armenian and 2 groups for Western Armenian). The course was hosted by the lecturers of the Chair of General Education and the Faculty of Philology of Yerevan State University. The Western Armenian language courses were hosted by Professor of the University of Sorbonne, Director of the Mesrop Mashtots Center for Language Preservation Hilda Galfaian-Panosian and Armenian language teacher of Yeraneli Ignatios Maloian Dprevank (School) of Zmmar and Saint Mikayel School Sosseh Pilavjian. The Western Armenian language course was organized through the lecturers’ accelerated language instruction program.

Training Course for Armenian Language Teachers and Organizers of Education of Armenian Schools in the Diaspora

Out of the 30 applications, the organizers selected 27 applicants from 8 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Lebanon, UAE, USA, Belgium and France. The three-week course was held with the participation of the principals of daily and one-day Armenian schools of the Diaspora, teachers of Armenian language and Armenological subjects and organizers of education. The course was organized for one group and a separate sub-group of Western Armenian language learners. The lessons were conducted by Hagop Cholakian.

Course for Young Diaspora Armenian Leaders

The 26 participants of the course listened to lectures devoted to leadership, the conceptual views and types, the characteristics of a leader, the effective use of social networks and political leadership. They also participated discussions devoted to human resource management, the effective measures to use in information wars and in the fight against anti-Armenian propaganda, programs for repatriation and pan-Armenian youth programs, as well as the problems facing Armenian youth organizations of the Diaspora and the paths to solve those problems. As a result, the participants created Facebook pages for future actions, cooperation and the exchange of information.

Master Class for Choirmasters and Dance Group Directors and Dance Instructors

This year, the course brought together 29 participants from 6 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Kuwait and France. One of the advantages of this course is that the participants transmit their knowledge and skills to the groups based in their respective communities, indirectly multiplying the number of participants of the course.

Course for Diaspora Armenian Journalists

Twenty young Diaspora Armenian journalists had the chance to gain theoretical and hands-on knowledge from Armenia’s well-known and experienced journalists. The participants of the course started preparing materials devoted to the events being held through the program for journalists participating in the “Diaspora” Summer School Program and posted the news in their presses, as well as wrote articles and essays that were posted on the Hayern Aysor electronic newspaper of the RA Ministry of Diaspora.

Course for Leaders of Armenian Communities

This course was held with the participation of 15 Diaspora Armenians from 8 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, USA, Canada, Bulgaria and Estonia.

“This is a platform that provides the opportunity to communicate with each other and reinforce the relationship between Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora. This is a major objective for the government, and we won’t spare any effort or resource to strengthen our contacts and relations in this format. This is in the interests of our state, and I consider this a pro-national program,” the head of government of the Republic of Armenia mentioned during his meeting with the participants of the 2015 “Diaspora” Summer School Program.

The “Diaspora” Summer School Program is truly a pro-national program that is becoming better and better every year. And so, let’s wish the“Diaspora” Summer School Program success next year.