Every morning, she opens the window of her hotel room and murmurs a prayer to the biblical mountain with immense worry and melancholy in her big and beautiful eyes.

“Explosions were heard in Aleppo last night again, and there are many victims”-she says this in a voice that can barely be heard and sits in front of her computer to send another piece of information to the place where people are waiting for news from the Mother Homeland.

My interlocutor is a discreet and beautiful lady from the Syrian city of Aleppo.

Hayern Aysor: Present yourself, please.

Sevan Shahbazian: My name is Sevan Shahbazian. I am the state secretary of the Karen Eppe Armenian College and a correspondent for Kantsasar Weekly, which is the official newspaper of the Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese of Aleppo. I have been serving as a correspondent for many years now. The newspaper mainly touches upon the major issues facing the Armenian community of Syria, including topics related to education, culture and national preservation, as well as the youth, politics, national cuisine and other topics. My friend, Maria and I also write in the “Proofreading” page where we mainly publish critical reviews on the negative phenomena within the community. We also help solve the community’s social, domestic and educational issues.

Hayern Aysor: Dear Sevan, all Armenians of the world are closely following the military operations in Syria. How is the Armenian community resisting that catastrophe?

S. S.: The war has caused a big crisis in people’s souls and in their lifestyles. Many Syrian-Armenians are moving to Armenia where it is more difficult for them to live with an uncertain status and without a job that corresponds to their profession. Of course, we Syrian-Armenians are grateful to Armenia for receiving us with open arms, but most Syrian-Armenians move from Armenia to foreign countries, and this is even more painful since the Armenian community is slowly being emptied.

The major issue remains the issue of surviving and continuing to live within the community. We don’t know if we will be able to overcome this crisis that is the result of a war in all senses. The city of Aleppo is being bombarded every day, all the districts are targeted, and people are dying almost every day. We feel sorrow as we follow the statistics. Our goal is to keep our traditional Armenian community away from the devastating convulsions.

Hayern Aysor: Dear Sevan, you are stating painful facts, but isn’t the Armenian community becoming more organized and centralized in this state of war? With the noble motive for self-defense, you continue to educate Armenian children and help them preserve their Armenian identity. How is that organized?

S. S.: Armenian children are educated and receive an Armenian upbringing in nearly 28 Armenian schools and about 20 Armenian churches across the country. We use the textbooks, methodological books and lesson plans printed by Hagop Cholakian. Before the war, Armenian language teachers of Armenia would visit Syria, but not anymore. They are replaced by the best alumni of Armenological institutions.

Hayern Aysor: Dear Sevan, our meeting was held in Armenia without an appointment. I think it would be unfair, if we didn’t meet. Let us thank fate and, of course, the “Diaspora” Summer School Program, which we are both participating in for the first time. I would like to know what your opinion about the “Diaspora” Summer School Program.

S. S.: The “Diaspora” Summer School Program is commendable, and I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers. This program is important in the sense that it can build a bridge between Armenia and the Diaspora. Efforts are constantly made through the channels of the Ministry of Diaspora to consolidate all Armenians of the Diaspora and unite them around the Homeland. This is unquestionably the result of great sacrifices, especially in these dire military, political, social and economic conditions in the Homeland. All efforts are being made to establish contacts with the homeland and all the Armenian communities of the Diaspora through the participants. I must also state the certain flaws that I hope are fixed in the future. The “Diaspora” Summer School Program could have been more practical and interesting with discussions on current political issues. There was also a lack of public discourse. There were also few visits to sites worth seeing and meetings with cultural figures. Nevertheless, this is a pro-Armenian and patriotic program, and I would say, a strategic program, for which we Diaspora Armenians are very grateful once again.

Hayern Aysor: Dear Sevan, please tell us what you believe in.

S. S.: I believe that if every Armenian puts one brick on the wall for nation-building with faith, conscience and, most importantly, love, sooner or later we will have a strong and protected structure that will be referred to as the free, independent and unified Homeland-a reality, not a vision.

Hayern Aysor: Finally, my dear, in your opinion, who is the Armenian? Describe an Armenian.

S. S.: The Armenian is the person who is always ready to help entertain other people who are in need of that, regardless of what situation they may be in.

Hayern Aysor: Dear Sevan, I would like for our meeting venue (the Mother Homeland) to never change. Perhaps that will be the main place of our residence. I bid you farewell until we meet again the Mother Homeland.

Sona Karapetyan

Rostov, Russian Federation

Correspondent of the “Doni Nakhichevan” newspaper

P.S.: Sona Karapetyan and Sevan Shahbazian have participated in the Training Course for Journalists, which is part of the “Diaspora” Summer School Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora.