On October 29, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received representatives of the Armenian Jewelers Association (AJA) and the Armenian Jewelers’ Charitable Foundation.

The jewelers were in Armenia to participate in the Yerevan Show-2013 jewelry exhibition and the conference entitled “Current State of Jewelry Manufacturing: Issues and Perspectives”.

To discuss the exhibition and the perspectives of the development of the jewelry industry in Armenia, “Hayern Aysor”’s correspondent sat down for an interview with President of the Armenian Jewelers Association (AJA) Gagik Gevorgyan, who has been awarded the “Boghos Nubar” Medal of the Ministry of Diaspora.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mr. Gevorgyan, what was the main purpose of the Armenian jewelers’ visit to Armenia?

Gagik Gevorgyan: Our purpose was to gather Diaspora Armenian jewelers in Armenia. This is a very difficult task because all the jewelers have their businesses in different countries, have their own mindset and customs. But despite all this, there is also the Homeland, which pulls all Armenians like a magnet (no matter where an Armenian lives), and we can “get a benefit” from that and can do it with great pleasure. The love and longing for the homeland are what bring us to Armenia.

But we have to take into consideration the fact that we are businessmen, have our interests and have our practical approaches to life and career.

With this purpose, we are organizing the series of exhibitions called Yerevan Show.

Our ancestors dreamed of having an independent homeland and organize jewelry exhibitions in that independent homeland. But only our generation was able to turn their dream into a reality, and this marks the third time that Armenia has brought together Armenian jewelers from dozens of countries.

This year, Yerevan Show brought together nearly 130 Armenian jewelers from 22 countries who had the chance to showcase their art and craft in the homeland.

“Hayern Aysor”: Besides bringing Armenians together and helping them showcase their work, what is the other goal of Yerevan Show?

G. G.: With this initiative, we want to say that we are Armenians and have our homeland and can take part in international exhibitions in not only Switzerland, the United States, China, the UAE and other countries, but also in the homeland.

What do they have that we don’t? Why can’t the Armenians, being the world’s best jewelers, organize an exhibition in their homeland that will become one of the world’s best exhibitions? Why can’t we show our best professional qualities in the homeland?

The most important goal is to visit the homeland, showcase our work and create a business environment and atmosphere that can help us do business.

Yes, we love and are very emotionally linked to our homeland, but at the same time, we have to be able to accept the fact that Armenia is a very serious country where we can start our businesses, make investments and create jobs.

We also think it’s important to educate the young generation so that they go on to become good professionals and not remain craftsmen all their lives, but climb to the top and become internationally recognized designers.

The most important thing is our main goal to see Armenia’s development and help it turn into one of the top centers for jewelry in the world.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mr. Gevorgyan, are Armenians the only participants of Yerevan Show? Don’t you want to engage foreign jewelers as well?

G. G.: We definitely do. Everything starts from the Armenians. If we Armenians can’t unite, nobody will stand by our side.

We first invite Armenian jewelers, who come with great pleasure and contribute to the development of this industry in Armenia.

In addition, we invite foreigners, but they have a harder time visiting the country. You know, everyone knows the Armenians, but not everyone knows Armenia and can’t even show the country on a map. We want to make sure that everyone recognizes Armenia as a country that will be compared with a large center for jewelry.

This is also one of our goals. We have invited jewelers from the UAE, China and India to Yerevan Show, and this is just the beginning.

Our goal is not to turn Armenia into a jewelry center, but to turn it into an international center that will bring together jewelers from Switzerland, Germany, America and Italy, which are countries that will consider Armenia one of the best investment zones.

“Hayern Aysor”: Jewelry manufacturing has very rich traditions in Armenia. Armenian master jewelers had access to several technical measures. It’s interesting to know if Armenian jewelers are able to preserve and apply all that. Do contemporary Armenian jewelers living abroad have the “handwriting” today?

The jewelry industry is not a new industry for us Armenians. It traces back to a millennium, and evidence of that are the jewels manufactured by Armenian masters and kept in different museums around the world.

Jewelry manufacturing is in our blood, is part of our personality and has been inherited to us. The traditions passed on to us from one generation to the next continue. Today, whenever we make something, even corn, there has to be some element of an Armenian décor.

The young generation has to enhance everything, and we pay a lot of attention to that as well. With that purpose, a year and a half ago we signed an agreement with the RA Ministry of Education and Science, according to which the subjects required for jewelers must be taught at nearly a dozen schools and colleges.

I think the businessmen to be visiting Armenia will first and foremost need experts, and we have also developed a plan in that regard.

“Hayern Aysor”: Unfortunately, I must mention that despite our traditions, the jewelry industry is at the same level of crafts in Armenia. Why?

G. G.: That’s only temporary. There’s nothing bad about it. Being a good craftsman is great. We have to be happy that we’re at least good craftsmen. Later, we’ll raise the level to a higher level in the future.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mr. Gevorgyan, what do you consider the great achievement of the Armenian Jewelers Association in the past couple of years?

G. G.: The most important program that we’re working on with Armenia’s government is the creation of the free economic zone.

This is a huge program that will help Armenia become a big center for jewelry and will bring investors, producers and exporters to the country.

We deserve to turn that dream into a reality in our homeland. The area for the free economic zone has already been selected, and renovation will be underway soon. I think we’ll have all the state documents and will be able to start working in the spring of next year.

Get ready to hear great news in the months to come.

Interview by Lusine Abrahamyan