On 15 April, in response to the call of Yerevan Municipality, employees of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, under the leadership of RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, participated in a city-wide Saturday cleaning day event and cleaned the area near Komitas Pantheon. The event was part of the “Clean and Green Armenia” movement launched by a group of repatriates.

Hayern Aysor’s correspondent talked to Iraqi-Armenian repatriate and participant of the event Haig Manoogian, who was participating in the Saturday cleaning event for the first time along with his three children.

Haig Manoogian and his family have been living in Armenia for the past decade. He is an engineer by profession. As Manoogian stated in an interview with Hayern Aysor, they were returning home in a great mood and with a good feeling and were thankful to Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan for keeping Diaspora Armenians in her focus and showing concern about their problems. Manoogian added that all Diaspora Armenians shared his opinion.

“We were surprised to see how the Minister cleaned the area with us. I am impressed with her straightforwardness. In other countries, officials walk around crowded areas with bodyguards, but she seemed to be one of us and even talked to my children. I am certain that they will remember those moments for a long time,” Haig Manoogian stated.

Marine Manoogian, 13, says having a clean city will not only promote tourism in Armenia, but will also help Armenians become more connected to their land, and every Armenian needs to be heartfelt and participate in Saturday cleaning day events more often.

During the conversation, Marine also remembered the unforgettable days she had spent as a participant of the “Ari Tun” Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora for homeland recognition and added that she would proudly show her Diaspora Armenian peers the yards and streets that had been cleaned.

“Let all Armenians of the world return to the Homeland so that we can combine our efforts and clean more areas during the Saturday cleaning day events,” Marine said.

Maral Manoogian was also happy that she was participating in the cleaning day event and noted that more and more cleaning day events had been organized throughout the past couple of years. Knowing that they were going to be cleaning the area near Komitas Pantheon, she felt more responsible because she knew that great Armenians were buried there. Maral said she considered her participation in the cleaning day event a tribute to them.

The youngest of the family, Masis Manoogian loves Armenia and calls on people to not pollute the yards and streets in the city. He is proud that he was able to clean even a small plot of land of his Homeland-the plot of land under which the renowned sons of the Armenian nation are buried.

Gevorg Chichyan