On March 20, the RA Ministry of Diaspora held a teleconference with the Armenian and Portuguese representatives of the Armenian community of Portugal.

The items on the agenda were the presentation of the programs of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for this year and the participation of the Consonansia Armenian Orchestra of Portugal in the “We Sing Komitas” Pan-Armenian Festival (24-29 September).

RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan greeted the representatives of the community and particularly stated the following: “I am glad that the few Armenians of Portugal came together last year and established the Portugal-Armenia Friendship Union, which is trying to consolidate the local Armenians. The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is also based in Lisbon. The name Calouste Gulbenkian already makes us Armenians recognizable around the world. We need to take measures to help assimilated Armenians return to their roots. The first way of doing that is to disseminate Armenian culture and organize visits to the homeland.”

The Minister suggested that the Portugal-Armenia Friendship Union collaborate with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Armenian communities of other countries across Europe in order to carry out joint programs devoted to preservation of the Armenian identity.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan also touched upon the possible paths for Armenian and Portuguese businessmen to make investments in Armenia.

Both parties said it was important to make Armenia recognizable for Portuguese businessmen.

Head of the Department of All-Armenian Programs at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Gagik Gyanjumyan presented the programs of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for this year.

Head of the Portugal-Armenia Friendship Union Vahe Mkhitaryan talked about the Consonansia Orchestra and attached importance to the issue of making it recognizable in Armenia.

Deputy Head of the Portugal-Armenia Friendship Union Narine Dellalyan stated that the Union and the Delalyan Trio (established in 1995) popularize Armenian music in Portugal.

“Our Union has established the Consonansia Orchestra, which includes 12 Armenian and Portuguese musicians. It is our pleasure to state that the Orchestra will participate in the 2017 “We Sing Komitas” Pan-Armenian Festival organized by the Ministry of Diaspora,” Narine Dellalyan said.