On July 14, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan gave a lecture for the participants of the “Diaspora” Summer School Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora at the sessions hall of the Academic Council of Yerevan State University. Hranush Hakobyan touched upon the global, regional and domestic challenges facing Armenia, stating that there are constant shifts in the world that is globalizing and becoming smaller day after day, people are making decisions more quickly and deciding to change their places of residence. “The foreigners living in any country can be referred to as the “Diaspora” only if they have and maintain their national awareness and create organizations that will help them maintain their contacts and relations with the Homeland,” she stated.

The Minister talked about the partnership between Armenia and the Diaspora. “The Armenian Diaspora expected the Homeland to introduce the dual citizenship institute that would provide Diaspora Armenians with the opportunity to remain a citizen of Armenia and live in a foreign country at the same time. Armenia managed to create the institution of dual citizenship, and today, thousands of Armenian nationals proudly obtain and use their passports that certify their citizenship of the Republic of Armenia. We have also set the objective to consolidate the potential of Armenian professionals of the Diaspora, and for that purpose, we organize pan-Armenian professional forums and conferences, which lead to the creation of professional pan-Armenian structures and networks in which Armenians gather, develop joint programs and projects and try to implement them,” the Minister said.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan also presented the history of the formation of the Armenian Diaspora. “Since the very first days of its establishment, the Ministry of Diaspora has worked with the formula “Know, Trust, Cooperate”. Our key objectives are to promote preservation of the Armenian identity in the Diaspora, identify the potential of all Armenians and use that potential for the empowerment of the Homeland and to develop and implement programs that will promote repatriation,” she mentioned.

The Minister introduced the participants of the courses of the “Diaspora” Summer School Program to the seven priorities that every Armenian should live and work to implement. “Those priorities are the empowerment of Armenia, the resolution of the Artsakh issue favoring our compatriots, the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, the self-organization of the Armenian communities in the Diaspora, the protection and preservation of the Armenian language, the assistance to Armenians in states of emergency and the preservation of the Armenian Church,” the Minister stated, adding the following: “Armenia is the homeland of all Armenians. You don’t love the Homeland because it is good, but because it is yours.”

Afterwards, the participants of the summer school program watched a video devoted to the programs and projects of the RA Ministry of Diaspora and asked the Minister of Diaspora their questions.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan answered all the questions and promised to do her best to solve the problems that some experts in training had raised.

The Minister emphasized that Armenian schools serve as the “oasis” for preservation of the Armenian identity in foreign countries and that the difficult, yet appreciated task is carried out thanks to the dedication of teachers and the administration of the schools. “If any young volunteer or professional wants to receive a higher education and become a pedagogue or take training courses, we must not spare any effort to support that young person,” she stated.

The participants expressed gratitude to the Minister for her comprehensive lecture and promised to do everything they could to use their knowledge and experience wisely in their respective countries of residence.