The youngest minister of Europe is from Armenia
Young people change the world and the reason is not only that they make it more beautiful and courageous. They make things, create, initiate revolutions, they win and even rule. Though very often people are skeptical about them by calling them inexperienced and romantic, it does not matter, they are breaking the stereotypes and say that the dream and the will are invincible.
And thus, the 27-year-old Sebastian Kurz pursued his dream strongly who in December, 2013 was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Austria. I am not sure in what ways Kurz astonished the country of castles and blue lights but it is said that the young politician is invincible with his purposefulness. Moreover, with more or less dramatic stories Montenegro had 29 and Italy had 39-year-old prime minister. One day United Arabic Emirates also started to view the young people with the bright eyes of 22-year-old girl Shamma Al Mazrui. Till now she holds the position of Minister of Youth Affairs.
It seemed unreal to many of us that one day Armenia would have a 27-year-old minister. In May 10, 2018 many people searched for the name and last name Mkhitar Hayrapetyan. Hence that day Mkhitar, the author of the idea of revolution march of love and solidarity, was appointed as the Minister of Diaspora, thus, becoming the youngest acting minister in the history of Armenia and Europe. Bearing Gandhi’s ideas in mind but full of charisma and mission, just on the first day of his appointment he announced that he has come with the map of having the best ministry in mind.
The media wrote a lot about the newly appointed Minister of Diaspora in the interviews and articles of flooded press. We read, criticised, applauded, and as a response he said that we will take a step every day but we will never give up on our goals. Today if we want to tell about Mkhitar Hayrapetyan in a brief way, we can put like this: “The youngest minister of Europe is an expert in Turkish (Oriental studies), a participant of tens of not formal international educational programs organised in the area of education, studied implementation, method mechanisms of peaceful disobedience and development of not violent activities, founded “Association of Young Politicians” and the Civic Education and Youth Development Center, also he is one of the founders of the party “Civil Contract”.
Changing the dress code, leaving the backpack with “Take a step” for non working days, going to the pub “DivanBashi” seldom with the first idea-holders of the revolution…Many things have changed in Mkhitar Hayrapetyan`s lifestyle after being appointed as the minister. Now the work goes on till midnight, Saturday and Sunday. Maybe, one of his hobbies, football, has been yet kept and sometimes you might see the minister following the Armenian football matches in the stadium.
“It may sound too self-reliant but I am ready to break most of the stereotypes and fears in a very short time. I will do this with my daily hard teamwork with professional specialists. I am looking forward positively” – mentioned Mkhitar Hayrapetyan during one of the interviews. Of course, after winning in the streets and and after having changed the mentality and logics of surviving and fighting, the system’s logics had to be changed as well. And step by step, without retreating any step, the youngest minister in Europe, aims to stay in history not just due to age. Armenia-Diaspora new agenda, sincere and equal conditions of cooperation, full co-recognition, unity of Armenian’s potential –today the Ministry of Diaspora has this priorities.
To achieve all this, the first steps of minister was the modification and development of new ministry’s programs, That is how “Step towards Home” and “Neruzh”, that are the business cards of the ministry, were created. Mkhitar Hayrapetyan’s first official visit was to Cyprus where three-sided meeting was held on Diaspora issues in Armenia-Cyprus-Greece format, after which Cypriot and Greek high-ranking officials called the young minister an active, bright and mature figure in their first tweets. The Minister of Diaspora had a working visit to the US, where he got acquainted with the problems of the Armenian community, presented the Ministry’s vision and said: “For the first time in history, we are not asking money from the Diaspora.
We need mutual cooperation, we need to bring forward the Pan-Armenian potential and purposeful implementation. He also advised to come to Armenia and experience the post-revolutionary enthusiasm, the smiles and the eye glances of people. Returning from the USA, he had the hope that the people who returned to Armenia and those who view Armenia as a new revelation in their minds in the biggest Armenian community of the Diaspora will be found a lot. Just like this, with daily controlled work, professionalism and unwavering will… finally, the youngest minister in Europe is from Armenia, isn’t he?