On Mar. 18, Chief of Staff of the RA Ministry of Diaspora Firdus Zakaryan and Executive Director of Birthright Armenia/Depi Hayk Foundation Sevan Kabakian signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Diaspora and Birthright Armenia/Depi Hayk Foundation.

Birthright Armenia/Depi Hayk Foundation was established in 2004 as an international charitable organization with the purpose of enhancing and strengthening the relations between Armenian youth in the homeland and the Diaspora by providing them with the opportunity to become a part of daily life in Armenia and make their contributions to the development of the homeland, establish contacts in the homeland and raise the national awareness of Diaspora Armenian youth through volunteerism. The program for 20-32-year old Diaspora Armenians lasts from 2 months up to a year. To this day, the Foundation has sponsored more than 800 Diaspora Armenian volunteers from 32 countries around the world.

Firdus Zakaryan mentioned that this program is the logical continuation of the “Ari Tun” Program and that the parties will work together to help the Diaspora Armenians collaborate with the host families.

The Memorandum of Cooperation envisages the development and joint implementation of programs that help preserve the Armenian identity, promote repatriation and help use the potential of young Diaspora Armenians in Armenia and Artsakh.

The Foundation’s Executive Director Sevan Kabakian attached importance to the signing of the memorandum, mentioning that the Foundation has always collaborated with the RA Ministry of Diaspora and that the memorandum will contribute to more effective cooperation.