“De Facto”’s correspondent sat down for an interview with RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan. The interview is not about the issues of the Diaspora and the Ministry’s programs, but the month-long celebration of women that Mrs. Hakobyan took the initiative to introduce and insisted. April 7^th is Motherhood and Beauty Day in Armenia, and the period between March 8^th and April 7^th is the month-long celebration of women.

How does the “culprit” of all this feel on those days? We’ll find out in this interview.

“De Facto”: Mrs. Hakobyan, the staff at “De Facto” magazine congratulates you on these beautiful spring holidays. You are the Armenian woman who took the initiative to turn one day devoted to women into a month-long celebration. Armenian society believes we Armenians aren’t happy, can’t fully enjoy holidays and there aren’t enough holidays. Do you agree with that? How do you feel on these holidays?

Hranush Hakobyan: Calling it a holiday is one thing, and turning it into a celebration and soulfully celebrating the day is another thing. Yes, it’s true that we’re not always able to rejoice and enjoy the holiday. We’re one of the world’s ancient nations with great qualities and assets, but for centuries we have been deprived of statehood and have fought and suffered. Being the patriots that we are, after the restoration of statehood, we still haven’t become the good, law-abiding citizens with statehood. We still have to learn to not only build a legal state and live in those conditions, but also organize many celebrations and celebrate our national and state holidays. In any case, 22 years is an instant in history in order for our society to know all the rules and values of a full-fledged civil society.

So, we need time to be able to develop our economy, reduce poverty, ease the burden of the people and gradually expand the domains that are also called “domains” of happiness, confidence and warmth. I would like us all to love and have faith in the future and be optimistic and take prospective steps. We Armenians say “say everything’s fine in order for everything to be fine”. Instead of being pessimistic, Armenians should be kind, cordial and care for others and aspire for something good. Each of us should do our best to do good deeds and work efficiently.

I’m pleased with the fact that I have come up with the idea of setting several important dates on our calendar of state holidays and days devoted to professionals. I’m very happy and proud that I took the initiative to celebrate April 7^th and have a month-long celebration devoted to women. By proposing April 7^th as a Day of Motherhood and Beauty, I wanted to add a day to March 8^th, which is a day that symbolizes women’s role and the establishment of women’s rights in society. After all, motherhood is the most divine and most sacred calling. Mothers are precious beings. There is nothing above them. It’s not by chance that the most precious and supreme values in the Armenian vocabulary begin with the word “mother”, including Mother Armenia (Mayr Hayastan), Mother Homeland (Mayr Hayrenik), Mother Language (Mayreni Lezu), Motherland (Mayr Hogh)… I’m pleased with the fact that it is interesting for the Armenian society and that Armenians wait for the month-long celebration. It seems as though all the organizations prepare for this month-long event, and this means that it’s already a part of our lives and that every organization tries to organize something. The other good thing is that Armenians pay more attention to women and try to appreciate the image, activities, existence of women and their contributions to society and politics. Another significant achievement is that on these holidays, men rush to give flowers to their mothers, wives, girlfriends and daughters, and I’m more than happy that I was able to put so many smiles on women’s faces and grant a wonderful holiday to not only women, but also the societies in the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora. It seems as though this holiday serves as an opportunity for people to forget their worries, difficulties and smile more often. Every year I feel the same joy and motivation.

“De Facto”: How did this change modern Armenian women’s active involvement in society and politics?

H. H.: It’s true when they say men are always right, and women never make mistakes. If we try to generalize and apply this to society, we’ll see that both men and women need to be in society and government and in helping the Homeland. We can’t overestimate or underestimate the role of men and women, but throughout history, the place of Armenian women has been in the family, at home, and it’s not by chance that there is an Armenian saying that goes ��?a woman is the inner wall, and the man is the outer wall’. However, the developments of social relations, the introduction of high technologies in our lives made life easier for women and provided wide opportunities to receive an education and become involved in different spheres of society.

It has been scientifically proven that men and women think differently. Women think more and act by listening to their heart and using their brains, meaning the sentimental factor has an impact, while men judge and act with reason. Although women’s sentimentality sometimes stands in their way of acting objectively, a women’s intuition often helps make decisions. The woman, the mother is the human being that takes care of the family members, and is closer to the spheres of society, meaning she makes more contributions to culture, education, society and healthcare. Men are more active in finance, economy, politics, the solutions to geopolitical issues and security issues…Through the harmony of these two we see the modern society. Women balance things, complement things, beautify the environment and make people think differently. In politics women make men be more responsible and moderate and make sure that debates and discussions are held correctly and in an atmosphere of respect. The correct activities of both genders create balance.

I would like to cite the words of a famous actor: “Men create laws, women create morals and ethics”. This means that women can help make moral norms a success and preserve them in society with their behavior, moderateness and modesty, and moral norms are as important as legal norms. The more refined moral norms are in society and the more correct and perceivable they are, the more legal norms will be precise and will be applied easily.

“De Facto”: Does the Ministry of Diaspora have special programs for Diaspora Armenian women?

H. H.: The Ministry of Diaspora doesn’t set aside men and women. Young people are our main target. We try to engage Diaspora Armenian youth who are full of energy, love and long for the homeland, can transmit the breath and spirit of Armenia and Armenians to their respective communities and can contribute to the preservation of the Armenian identity. In addition to the pan-Armenian forums and conferences held with lawyers, journalists, writers and international law experts, this year we will be holding a forum called International Forum of Armenian Women, which will bring together Armenian women leaders of Armenian communities in several countries and members of the Armenian International Women’s Association. During the forum, we’ll try to present the role of Armenian women during and after the Armenian Genocide, how Armenian women were able to teach their children the Armenian alphabet on the deserts of Der Zor after having survived the horrible tragedy and without converting. It is through the great contributions of Armenian women that the fourth generation of Armenians speaks in Armenian after the Genocide. Armenian women instill in their children the aspiration to preserve their Armenian identity. Armenian women are the ones who sing lullabies in Armenian in different parts of the world. The place and role of Armenian women in preservation of the national identity and global developments are inappreciable. Armenian women living and working in the Diaspora are our partners and the women who are active in community life.

“De Facto”: In closing, what would you like to wish Armenian women on the occasion?

H. H.: I wish Armenian women happy days and moments, and those days and moments will help make women mostly happy. May God grant many days and moments like that to Armenian women! May Armenian women never cry tears of sadness! I would like to see people in Armenia live a life that Armenian women want to see. Armenian women have a big heart. They are peaceful, aspire for solidarity, are filled with love and have faith in the future. May God let us live and work in the republic that Armenian women want to see!

“De Facto”