“My father was the first to learn about this program and advised me to participate. I was so excited that I immediately agreed,” 14-year-old Agapi Ter-Avetisyan said during a conversation with Hayern Aysor’s correspondent at the grand opening ceremony of the first stage of the 2016 “Ari Tun” Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, adding that she travels from Riga to Armenia every summer and that she was excited for this visit since it was going to be very symbolic. Her favorite place in Armenia is the Tatev Monastery which she is ready to visit again and again.

In Latvia, Agapi attended dance lessons for three years, after which she took karate lessons due to the love that she has had for karate since childhood. She also sings in a choir.

The Armenian community of Latvia holds different kinds of events aimed at preserving the Armenian identity, and Agapi tries to participate in them from time to time.

Talking about the “Ari Tun” Program, Agapi said she wanted to visit as many sites as possible, become familiar with Armenian traditions and go places where she hadn’t managed to go during her previous visits.

As for the other participants, Agapi said she was getting to know them. She has noticed that her peers are friendly and smiling people. She intends to make new friends since she doesn’t have many Armenian friends in Latvia.

Agapi expressed gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora for organizing such a program for homeland recognition and mentioned that the “Ari Tun” Program would provide her with the opportunity to become more strongly connected to Armenia.

Gevorg Chichyan