The solemn closing ceremony of the second stage of the “Ari Tun” Program for Diaspora Armenian youth’s homeland recognition was held at the “Ari Tun” Camp in Tsakhkadzor on July 4.

Among the participants were RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, Governor of Kotayk province Aram Harutyunyan and other state officials.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan greeted the gathered, attached importance to the role of the program in preservation of the Armenian identity and assured that the program would be expanded and improved in the future.

The participants of the “Ari Tun” Program greeted the guests, shared their impressions, performed Armenian songs and dances and recited poems that they had learned in the course of the program and shared their knowledge. With their performances and poems devoted to the homeland, they expressed their love and devotion to the Homeland, Armenian culture and assured that they would become the pioneers for preservation of the Armenian identity and Armenia’s advancement and would always maintain relations with their new friends and the host families in Armenia. The following line in the poem of one of the participants of “Ari Tun” Program can be considered a condensed expression of the participants’ feelings: “I, who was born in a foreign land, am your love, Armenia”.

This stage of the program uniquely symbolized the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora triumvirate as it brought together representatives of Artsakh, the top schoolchildren from Sisyan (city of youth in Armenia), as well as boys and girls from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, the USA, France, Sweden, Latvia, Syria and Lebanon. Overall, 158 young Diaspora Armenians participated in this stage of the program.

They all had badges with the Forget-Me-Not Flower, which is the symbol for the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, instilling faith that they would be the ones stating the Armenians’ claims.

Candidate of philological sciences, Professor Lavrenti Mirzoyan, who hosted three participants, greeted the gathered on behalf of all the host families.

Arin Dance Ensemble of AGBU Lebanon charmed the audience with its performance. The dance ensemble is one of the ensembles participating in the “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival.

RA Honored Artist Shushan Petrosyan and singer Andre inspired the children with their speeches and performances of patriotic songs.

The ceremony ended with the traditional bonfire around which the participants danced the traditional Armenian kochari. It is the bonfire that symbolizes the warmth that the young Diaspora Armenians receive as they participate in the “Ari Tun” Program.