On February 24, Armenian teachers, linguists and intellectuals participated in a teleconference devoted to the risk of Western Armenian and state language policy issues. The teleconference was held at the initiative of the RA Ministry of Diaspora with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Lebanon, the Haigazian University of Lebanon and the AGBU Armenian Virtual University (connection from Haigazian University of Lebanon).

Among the participants from Armenia were RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, Deputy Minister Serzh Srapionyan, Syrian-Armenian repatriate linguist Hagop Cholakian, Director of Diaspora Scientific and Educational Center at the Armenian State Pedagogical University Suren Danielyan, teacher of the Melankton and Haig Arslanian College of Beirut Nora Tashjian-Sarafian, Director of the AGBU Armenian Virtual University Hasmik Khalapyan, teacher of Gevorgyan Spiritual Lyceum Ani Fishenkjian, scientific workers of the Hrachya Atcharyan Language Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, as well as teachers and linguists.

Among the participants from Lebanon were Director of the Center for Armenian Diaspora Studies at Haigazian University Antranik Dakessian, representative of the Western Armenian Language Center in Antelias Jirair Danielian and teacher of the seminary in Antelias Geghani Etimezian, Deputy Director of the Armenian Evangelical College Armen Yoorneshlian, Head of the Chair of Pedagogy at Haigazian University Hagop Yacoubian, Director of Mesropian High School Greguar Galoust and representative of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia Vladimir Poghosyan.

Greeting the participants of the teleconference, Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan stated the following: “Today we have gathered to discuss once again the issues on preservation of Western Armenian and find the solutions to those issues in a new format. The preservation and dissemination of the mother language is one of the overriding objectives of the Ministry of Diaspora, and this teleconference was organized by the Ministry of Diaspora and within the framework of the weeklong events dedicated to International Mother Language Day. Since Lebanon is the citadel, pulse and spirit for preservation of Western Armenian, we decided to share our concerns with you through a teleconference and find realistic solutions to the existing problems.”

The Minister presented the programs and initiatives that the Ministry carries out through cooperation with specialists and institutions of Armenia and the Diaspora. She attached importance to the teaching of Western Armenian in Armenia since nearly 20,000 bearers of the Western Armenian language, namely Syrian-Armenians have settled in Armenia, providing the opportunity for convergence between two ramifications of the Armenian Genocide.

“Yes, the UNESCO has recognized Western Armenian as a language in danger, and I believe we need to combine our efforts to draw up and consistently implement a plan to save Western Armenian with the support of the State and religious and pan-Armenian organizations.

We are taking certain actions. Western Armenian is taught at several universities of Armenia, and the Atcharyan Language Institute of the NAS RA has a Western Armenian language section. The Diaspora Scientific and Educational Center at the Armenian State Pedagogical University and the AGBU Armenian Virtual University actively carry out their activities. The “Diaspora” Summer School Program features an accelerated Western Armenian language course. There are also three experimental alphabet and reading books. The Ministry’s “Hayern Aysor” (Armenians Today) electronic newspaper is the only official website that has a Western Armenian version. A Western Armenian-Eastern Armenian and Eastern Armenian-Western Armenian converter was established and runs upon the order of the Ministry of Diaspora. Recently, the Ministry helped launch the “Haikashkharh” (Armlands.com) children’s Western Armenian-language website. The Ministry of Diaspora has hosted two conferences devoted to the topic and established three task forces. The Ministry has raised the issue at the state level and set forth the objective to create a Higher Council for the Armenian Language, which will deal with problems related to Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian,” the Minister said.

The Minister suggested translating the new textbooks devoted to Armenian studies (particularly Armenian history) into Western Armenian and publishing them since they will be appropriate for Armenian schools abroad.

Issues related to the risk of Western Armenian, the state of language in school textbooks, the quality of teaching and the linguistic commonality were discussed during the teleconference.

Importance was attached to the need to take advantage of the opportunities for teaching of Western Armenian and distance learning and the development of new textbooks.

There were also several recommendations. At the end, it was decided to organize the next teleconference in May.