On July 10, the RA Ministry of Diaspora hosted the solemn opening ceremony of the 4^th stage of the 2017 “Ari Tun” Program for young Diaspora Armenians’ homeland recognition, gathering 156 young Armenians from 14 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Iraq, Syria, USA, Canada, Belgium, Greece, France, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Australia, as well as from the North Caucasus.

RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan addressed the participants with his welcoming remarks.  “Dear participants, welcome to the Homeland! During your stay with your host families, you will be introduced to the lifestyles of your compatriots and establish friendly ties with your peers. The camping event will provide you with the opportunity to get to know each other better and establish new ties with your compatriots in not only Armenia, but also young boys and girls living in different communities of the Armenian Diaspora,” Srapionyan stated.

Afterwards, Srapionyan called the youngest participant of the 4^th stage of the “Ari Tun” Program, student of the Armenian Sunday school of Domodedovo, 13-year-old San Vardanyan and, according to tradition, dressed him in the shirt with the logo of the “Ari Tun” Program on it.

In her welcoming remarks, teacher of the Armenian Sunday school of Domodedovo Armine Rafayelyan stated that the students were visiting Armenia for the first time through the “Ari Tun” Program and expressed certainty that they would spend a wonderful time.

Teacher of AGBU Greece Chapter’s Artaki Galpakian School Amalya Tadevosyan stated that they are visiting the Homeland for the second time through the “Ari Tun” Program. “The first time we participated was in 2010, and our children loved Armenia so much that when we returned to Athens, they urged their younger classmates to participate in the program,” Tadevosyan said.

The participants of the fourth stage also recited poems and performed Armenian folk and ethnographic songs during the solemn opening ceremony.