On May 6, the commission and inter-agency task force coordinating the 2016 “Ari Tun” Program and the 2016 “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival (dedicated to the 25^th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Armenia) held a session at the RA Ministry of Diaspora.

RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan gave his welcoming remarks. “The goal of the “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival is to support the strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora relations and relations within the Diaspora and the expansion of opportunities for cooperation, the preservation and development of Armenian cultural identity abroad, the deepening of cultural ties between young creators in Armenia and the Diaspora and the development of new projects,” the Minister emphasized.

The Minister attached importance to the role that all the government agencies, territorial and regional organizations have played in the implementation of the “Ari Tun” Program over the past seven years. “I would like to express special gratitude to the host families that cordially host our young Armenians of the Diaspora without the government’s material assistance,” she noted.

Afterwards, Chief of Staff of the RA Ministry of Diaspora Firdus Zakaryan briefly presented the program and festival to be held this year and the 2015 “Ari Tun” Program.

Touching upon the “Ari Tun” Program, Zakaryan assured that the harmonious and coordinated efforts of the organizers and partners help make the program a success. “The “Ari Tun” Program helps increase the number of young “ambassadors” of Armenia abroad. They bring a new sweep to community life, help bring Diaspora Armenians closer to the Mother Homeland and promote preservation of the Armenian identity,” he stated.

Zakaryan also presented the five directions of the third “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival, including the Days of Armenian Dance (20-30 July), the Pan-Armenian Poetry Festival in Shoushi (1-5 August), the Days of Choral Arts (5-10 August), the Festival of the Duduk and Other Armenian Instruments (21-26 September) and Armenian Song Day (26 September).

Zakaryan noted that the festival is held once every two years and that there would also be concerts in Yerevan, Armenia’s provinces and Artsakh, as well as trips to sites worth seeing in Armenia. The festival gathers the choirs, dance groups, ensembles, orchestras and individual performers from various communities of the Diaspora, as well as Armenia and Artsakh.

The “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival will kick off on July 22, 2016 with the launch of the Days of Armenian Dance events at the Alexander Spendiaryan National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet. This year’s festival will also include a concert entitled “100+1” and dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in September. The dance groups and ensembles will perform in different provinces, including the Shirak, Lori, Aragatsotn, Ararat, Gegharkunik, Armavir, Kotayk and Vayots Dzor Provinces, as well as in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

At the end of the session, the RA Minister of Diaspora granted certificates for active participation in the implementation of the 2015 “Ari Tun” Program to representatives of government agencies, Yerevan Municipality and regional and territorial bodies, according to categories.

Representatives of Yerevan Municipality and the RA Ministry of Health received an award in the Reliable Partner category for properly solving the participants’ health problems.

Representatives of the RA Ministry of Defense received an award in the Provision of Patriotic Education category for providing patriotic education.

The Heartfelt Partner award was granted to representatives of the RA Police adjunct to the RA Government for ensuring the participants’ safety.

The Willing Partner award was granted to representatives of the RA Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations.

The Minister mentioned that certificates had been granted to participants during a recent consultation held at Yerevan Municipality. During the consultation, the Erebuni administrative district received the award for Best Administrative District, the Nor Nork administrative district received the award for Active Administrative District, and the award for Supportive Administrative District was granted to representatives of the Malatia-Sebastia and Ajapnyak administrative districts.

Kotayk Province (Governor Karapet Guloyan) received the award for Best Province for hosting the most youth.

Ararat Province (Governor Rubik Abrahamyan) received the award for The Most Active Province.

Gegharkunik Province (Governor Rafik Grigoryan) received the award for Supportive Province.

Out of the cities and villages of provinces, Hrazdan city of Kotayk Province received the award for Best Village, Proshyan village of Kotayk Province received the award for The Most Hospitable, and the Jrvezh village of Kotayk Province, the Aintab and Pokr Vedi villages of Ararat Province were granted the award for Willing Partner.

The Karb village of Aragatsotn Province and Abovyan city of Kotayk Province won the award in the Active Community category.

The award for Supportive Community was granted to Vosketap and Mkhchyan communities of the Ararat city of Ararat Province.

The participants of the session of the inter-agency task force watched videos about the “Ari Tun” Program and the “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival, after which they made proposals for the programs and assured that they would do everything they could to make sure the program and festival are held properly and in safety.