On January 24, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan gave a press conference devoted to the activities carried out by the RA Ministry of Diaspora in 2013 and the programs for this year. The minister presented the programs and events that the ministry has carried out to meet the strategic objectives set forth by the RA President and the key objectives for this year.

“The ministry has carried out all its activities with the support of and through consultations with Armenians in the Diaspora. If it wasn’t for the Diaspora Armenians’ participation, the ministry wouldn’t be able to carry out its programs,” said the minister and mentioned with satisfaction that the RA Ministry of Diaspora has gained more confidence and has engaged more Armenians in its programs throughout the past five years of its existence.

The minister emphasized the fact that the activities of the RA Ministry of Diaspora last year were aimed at meeting three strategic objectives, that is, contribute to preservation of the Armenian identity in the Diaspora, to the identification and consolidation of the potential of all Armenians and implement programs that promote repatriation.

Hranush Hakobyan attached importance to the fact that the Diaspora is versatile with differing views, different languages and different religions and that only around the following priorities is it possible to consolidate 7 million Armenians, 30,000 Armenian organizations and 18 pan-Armenian structures in more than 100 countries around the world:

v  Reinforcement of the Republic of Armenia and assurance of security,

v  Peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,

v  International recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and elimination of the consequences

v  Preservation of the Armenian identity; fight against assimilation in the Diaspora,

v  Consolidation around the Armenian Church.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan also attached importance to the dissemination of the native language and presented the activities that have been carried out in that direction.

Hranush Hakobyan mentioned with satisfaction that the courses of the “Diaspora” Summer School Program brought together 240 Diaspora Armenians from 17 countries around the world. There were five courses and programs, including an Accelerated Armenian Language Course, a Teacher Training Course, Armenian Song and Dance Courses, the Summer School Program for Young Diaspora Armenian Leaders and the Summer School Program for Diaspora Armenian Journalists. The RA Ministry of Diaspora collaborated with the NAS RA and opened Diaspora departments within 6 institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia.

The minister attached importance to the preparation of Diaspora experts, mentioning that 39 Diaspora experts-Masters have already graduated from the Chair of Diaspora Studies established within the Faculty of Philology at Yerevan State University in 2008 and that there are currently 24 students.

The minister presented the books devoted to the key issues of the Diaspora and published by the order of the RA Ministry of Diaspora in 2013 and mentioned with satisfaction that 95 books devoted to the Diaspora have been published throughout the past five years.

According to the minister, the Yearbook serves as a unique encyclopedia of the Diaspora. With its structure and comprehensive materials, it can serve as a source for those conducting research on the history of the Armenian Diaspora. The Yearbook contains information about the events carried out by Armenia’s government agencies, religious and pan-Armenian organizations within the scope of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership, as well as other materials.

The already traditional “Ari Tun” Program helps Diaspora Armenian youth get to know the homeland and has already brought together 924 Diaspora Armenian youth from 36 countries around the world.

The minister particularly mentioned that the “Ari Tun” Program isn’t a program for repatriation, but a program that helps the participants get to know the homeland. Through this program, nearly 10,000 families (approximately 50,000 Armenians) communicate with each other in the Homeland and in the Diaspora.

The minister attached importance to the holding of pan-Armenian professional forums in order to meet the ministry’s strategic objectives.

The minister mentioned that in 2013, the ministry held 9 forums and conferences, including the scientific conferences entitled “Armenian Identity Issues in the 21^st Century” and “Current Key Issues of Language Policy”, the “Armenian Language is in My Heart” Pan-Armenian Youth Forum, the Fifth Conference of Writers of Armenian Origin Composing in Foreign Languages, the Second Pan-Armenian Forum of Lawyers, the Meeting with Representatives of Organizations Raising Awareness about Armenian Issues entitled “Ahead of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide”, the meeting with leaders of communities in the CIS, the Euro-Caucasian Congress of Cardiology, the Second Pan-Armenian Forum of Bankers and Financiers and the forum entitled “Dynamic World, Changing Diaspora”.

Hranush Hakobyan indicated the forums to be held in 2014, including the 5^th Pan-Armenian “Armenia-Diaspora” Forum, the Pan-Armenian Women’s Forum, the 7^th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists and the Pan-Armenian Conference of Writers, as well as the meeting with representatives of the Armenian Genocide Regional Committees ahead of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. Overall, the ministry has held 51 forums and conferences throughout the past five years of its existence.

The minister also attached importance to cultural events. “Culture is the “passport” of nations. It is culture through which a nation returns to its roots,” said the minister. In 2013, the RA Ministry of Diaspora held the “Komitas Vardapet” Pan-Armenian Festival (Sep. 26-Oct. 3) and brought together nearly 500 participants from Japan, Germany, the United States, the Near East, the Middle East and several other countries.

Talking about the “Our Greats” Program, the minister mentioned that in 2013, the events were dedicated to great Armenians, including Arshak Chopanyan, Gevorg VI Chorekchyan and William Saroyan, as well as Armenia’s chess team.

In 2014, the events will be dedicated to Komitas, Hovhannes Tumanyan, Siamanto, Arshil Gorky and Calouste Gulbenkian.

The RA Minister of Diaspora also presented the activities carried out to solve the social, healthcare, housing, labor and educational issues facing the Syrian-Armenians and the ministry’s collaboration with the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO.

Presenting the ministry’s programs in 2014, Hranush Hakobyan mentioned that the ministry will be continuing and will be expanding cooperation with pan-Armenian organizations. “The ministry will be carrying out more activities ahead of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide. There are already 37 regional committees established in Diaspora Armenian communities. In May, the ministry will hold the Meeting of Representatives (Lobbyists) of Organizations Raising Awareness about Armenian Issues entitled “Ahead of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide”, the results of which will help specify future actions in 2014 and in 2015,” said the minister.

In the end, the RA Minister of Diaspora answered the journalists’ questions of concern.