On January 27, the Public Council adjunct to the Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia held its first session of the year 2017. The Minister greeted the members of the Public Council and expressed special gratitude to Diaspora Armenians Sevag Hagopian and Hovik Kaslagian for participating in the session, adding that other Diaspora Armenian partners had also sent their opinions on the agenda.

Secretary of the Public Council adjunct to the RA Minister of Diaspora Aida Elchibekyan delivered a report on the working plan of the Public Council for the year 2017 and submitted it for approval. The working plan was approved.

Head of the Department for Relations with Pan-Armenian, International and Ecclesiastical Organizations Nayiri Mouradian presented the process of fulfillment of agreements on cooperation that the RA Ministry of Diaspora has concluded with pan-Armenian organizations of the Diaspora. Mouradian stated that there are thousands of Armenian organizations based in over 117 countries around the world. There are 24 pan-Armenian organizations that are the largest and the most longstanding. The RA Ministry of Diaspora collaborates with all pan-Armenian organizations and has concluded memoranda with 6 large pan-Armenian organizations.

The Minister stated that, unlike many agreements that stay on paper, the Ministry effectively cooperates with those organizations and will be signing memoranda with several other organizations throughout the year.

Head of the Department of Pan-Armenia Programs Gagik Gyanjumyan presented the 2017 Our Greats Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora. He stated that the 2016 Our Greats Program included about 30 events of homage to Srpouhi Dussap, Vahe Haik, Avetis Aharonyan, Grigor Khanjyan and Krikor Zohrab held at schools and universities of the Republic of Armenia, as well as at Armenian schools abroad. The speaker suggested including events devoted to Ruben Mamulyan, Alexander Mantashyants, Tigran Chukhajyan and Hovhannes Aivazovsky and the Armenian Catholic Monastery on St. Lazar’s Island in the 2017 Our Greats Program. Gyanjumyan also suggested including Vahan Tekeyan in the program, and the Public Council approved the proposal.

RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan delivered a report on declaring the year 2017 as the Year of Artsakh. He touched upon the “What are YOU doing for Karabakh?” pan-Armenian movement and particularly mentioned the following: “The more than 140 Armenian journalists, who traveled from 31 countries to participate in the 8^th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora, attached importance to their role in and responsibility for the resolution of the Artsakh issue and, paying heed to the proposal of RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, decided to launch the “What are YOU doing for Karabakh?” pan-Armenian movement, which is aimed at enhancing and disseminating the idea of paying tribute and helping the Homeland and particularly Artsakh, keeping the sense of duty to the people alive, promoting the preservation of the national identity, supporting recognition of the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, helping raise the level of defense, contributing to the solution to social, economic, cultural and educational issues in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, helping organize community life and contributing to consolidation around the idea of the Homeland’s advancement through the implementation of different kinds of programs, events and initiatives in Armenia and abroad. Taking into consideration the success and dissemination of the movement, the Minister of Diaspora suggested declaring the year 2017 as the Year of Artsakh. It was decided to hold not only the “We Sing Komitas” Pan-Armenian Festival, but also the “Independent Artsakh” Pan-Armenian Festival, and a call has been made to organizations in Armenia and abroad.”

Summing up the session, the Minister of Diaspora attached importance to the participation of all Diaspora Armenian organizations and individuals in the “What are YOU doing for Karabakh?” pan-Armenian movement and in the efforts aimed at presenting Karabakh in the Diaspora in a comprehensive manner. “The Armenian Cause must be solved in Karabakh,” the Minister stated and added the following: “By defending and empowering Karabakh, we are defending and empowering Armenia.” Hranush Hakobyan stressed the fact that there is a lot of work to do and that one of the priority objectives for promotion of preservation of the Armenian identity abroad is to shape the image of a proud and victorious Armenian.