On February 22, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan moderated a regulatory consultation at the RA Ministry of Diaspora. Among the participants were Deputy Ministers Serzh Srapionyan and Vahagn Melikyan, Chief of Staff Firdus Zakaryan, heads of departments and divisions, as well as the directors of the “Homeland-Diaspora Center” SNCO, the “Im Hayastan” (My Armenia) Pan-Armenian Festival and the “Hayern Aysor” (Armenians Today) electronic newspaper.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan praised the events organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora on the occasion of International Mother Language Day (21-22 February) and expressed gratitude to all the organizations and individuals who had helped organize those events. The minister attached special importance to the message of the President of the Republic read by Deputy Prime Minister Vache Gabrielyan in Oshakan.

Advisor to the Minister of Diaspora Stepan Petrosyan talked about the programs for support to education and culture in the CIS countries and for provision of supporting materials to Armenian schools abroad, the preparations for the “Diaspora” Summer School Program, the current issues and the agreements reached to solve those issues.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan assigned to address all Armenian schools and pan-Armenian organizations of the Diaspora with a circular to assist in the training for Armenian language and singing teachers and dance instructors during the “Diaspora” Summer School Program.

Chief of Staff Firdus Zakaryan delivered a report on the current activities of the Legal Department, the Financial and Economic Department and the Department for Armenian Communities in the Near East and the Middle East and the implementation of programs and projects that are being carried out. The Chief of Staff also talked about the preparations for the 2016 “Ari Tun” Program, the problems with organizing the February 24 workshop devoted to Syrian-Armenians and the event to be held with the participation of Diaspora Armenian youth at Yerablur Military Pantheon on March 5.

Deputy Minister Vahagn Melikyan presented the programs and activities being carried out by the Department for Armenian Communities of Europe and the Americas and the Department for Repatriation and Research, as well as the preparations for publication of the “Armenian Diaspora” Yearbook.

The minister assigned to organize the conclusion with research institutes of contracts for the implementation and publication of studies to be conducted upon the request of the Ministry of Diaspora and ensure coverage of the signing.

Deputy Minister Serzh Srapionyan presented the activities carried out by the Department of Media and Public Relations and the Department of Information and Telecommunication and delivered a report on the development of a program that will help raise the level of Armenian language proficiency of Diaspora Armenian youth and the organizing of an event devoted to missionaries.

It was assigned to postpone the organizing of the conference entitled “The Armenian World on the Internet”, organize a discussion on data entered into a database on March 1 and deliver a report on that.

The minister gave other assignments and instructed to complete them on time, effectively and consistently.