On January 22, at the initiative of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, a working consultation devoted to the developments of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership was held at the National Assembly.

Chairman of the Committee Armen Ashotyan attached importance to the discussion on the activities being carried out with Diaspora Armenians and stated that the discussion was being held with certain layers of society, as well as representatives of NGOs and the Armenian Diaspora.

Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan delivered a speech in which she attached importance to the harmony between parliamentary diplomacy and popular diplomacy in the Diaspora and the active partnership between the two. Through photos, the Minister presented the current academic approaches to and interpretations of the concept of “Diaspora”, stating that, whereas migration is a centrifugal force, the Diaspora is a centripetal force that consolidates people with a collective self-awareness, historical memory and a sensual connection to the homeland. She attached importance to the fact that diasporas are becoming an influential factor for the country of residence and the country of origin, having major financial, economic, social and political leverages, forming universal values and manifesting unacceptable phenomena in various environments.

Afterwards, Hranush Hakobyan touched upon Armenia’s state policy on the Armenia-Diaspora partnership and stated that the partnership is a constantly changing and dynamic process that opens new opportunities and brings new problems and challenges into the light. She presented the statistics on migration that lead to the formation of diasporas.

The Minister presented the stages of formation of the Armenian Diaspora, starting from ancient times and leading up to the Armenian Genocide that led to the organization of Armenian communities in over 100 countries. The Minister also touched upon the relations that existed in the Soviet era and the stages of repatriation.

The Minister of Diaspora provided details about the structure of the Armenian Diaspora, stating that there are 832 communities; over 30,000 Armenian organizations; 44 pan-Armenian structures; 727 Armenian churches and monasteries; nearly 1,000 Armenian daily and one-day schools; 34 museums, libraries and archives; 110 centers for Armenian centers; about 300 Armenian mass media outlets; thousands of websites; 639 cultural centers and associations; lobbying organizations; professional organizations and networks; choirs; dance ensembles, as well as hundreds of music and art schools. Minister Hranush Hakobyan also presented the features and current problems of the communities, touched upon the pan-Armenian issues and stated the mechanisms of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership.

The Minister of Diaspora provided details about the strategic directions for the Armenia-Diaspora partnership, the overriding objectives of the Ministry and the measures aimed at meeting those objectives, as well as the programs and projects of the Ministry that are under implementation.

Importance was attached to the introduction of the dual citizenship institute, the activities being carried out to revitalize Diaspora Armenians’ investments in Armenia and the development of programs promoting repatriation.

The Minister provide details about the studies conducted and books published through the combined efforts of the Ministry of Diaspora and academic centers in Armenia and abroad.

The programs for self-organization of Armenian communities, preservation of the Armenian identity abroad, consolidation of the potential of all Armenians and the use of that potential for the development of Armenia and Artsakh have a special place among the activities that are carried out by the Ministry.

Head of the parliamentary faction of the Republican Party of Armenia Vahram Baghdasaryan, Deputy Karen Bekaryan, Deputies of the Tsarukyan parliamentary faction Luiza Sargsyan, Vardan Bostanjyan and Ararat Zurabyan, Sergey Bagratyan and representative of the Yelq bloc of political parties Artak Zeynalyan delivered brief speeches and asked their questions of concern.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan answered questions related to the promotion of repatriation, the expansion of Diaspora Armenians’ investments, the mechanisms for the activities that are being carried out with the Armenian parliament’s friendship groups and Diaspora Armenian organizations, the solutions to legal issues and asked the Deputies to participate in the activities that are carried out with the relevant Armenian organizations of the Diaspora, voicing hope that these kinds of discussions will be held on a regular basis and will highly contribute to the solution to the current issues.

Summing up the discussion, Chairman of the Committee Armen Ashotyan highly appreciated the work in this format and expressed gratitude to the participants of the discussion and Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan for giving a detailed and comprehensive presentation of the sector and giving exhaustive answers to the questions of the Deputies’ concern.