On July 7, the “Ari Tun” Camp in Aghavnadzor hosted the solemn closing ceremony of the second stage of the “Ari Tun” Program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora. Among the participants were RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, Speaker of the RA National Assembly Ara Babloyan, as well as state and cultural figures and guests.

Greeting the participants of the second stage, Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan stated the following: “My dear boys and girls, I believe you will grow up as proud Armenians, maintain the honor of the Armenian nation and study well. I would like to thank the families who hosted you, loved you and became your relatives. I would like to thank your parents for believing in us, sending you to Armenia to participate in the “Ari Tun” Program and helping make the program a success. I want this day to be historic for you and a day you will never forget. Today you will meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, who is the chairperson of one of the major institutions in Armenia.”

The Speaker of the National Assembly wished the young Diaspora Armenian boys and girls good luck and particularly stated the following: “Thank you, dear participants of the “Ari Tun” Program, my junior compatriots. It is a pleasure to meet you today. Armenia and the Diaspora have greater potential to achieve their goals. Armenia is strong with the Diaspora and vice versa. They are linked with many veins, and you all are one of those veins. The “Ari Tun” Program is a program for preservation of the Armenian identity and repatriation. I fully hope you establish a closer connection with the Homeland. You will become Armenia’s ambassadors in the Diaspora and the Diaspora’s ambassadors in Armenia. I am glad to see you healthy, strong, happy and daring. I express my greetings to you. Armenia is yours.”

The participants of the second stage performed numbers that they had rehearsed during the days at the camp.

Among the participants of the second stage of the “Ari Tun” Program were 109 young Armenians from 8 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Georgia, the USA, France and Hungary.