Armenia and Argentina are expanding their relations more and more, connecting two countries located thousands of kilometers away and strengthening the unbreakable friendship between the Armenians and the Argentineans. A new manifestation of this friendship was the recent visit of RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s delegation to Argentina. RA Minister of Diaspora, Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan was also part of the delegation. After his official meetings with Argentina’s government officials and the reception at Buenos Aires Municipality, President Serzh Sargsyan also had a meeting with the members of the Argentinean-Armenian community with the aspiration to find was that will help further strengthen the centuries-old friendship established between the two countries.

Yes, the centuries-old friendship since the Armenians settled in Argentina in the 17^th century and laid the foundation for the friendship between the nations that turned into interstate relations after Armenia’s independence. Most Argentineans know the famous General Juan Tzetz (Hovhannes Tzetzian), who was from Transylvania, Hungary. In 1848, he participated in the Hungarian Revolution and later the Crimean War. In 1859, Tzetz married Rosas, who was the cousin of the former governor of Buenos Aires, and settled in Buenos Aires in 1860. Tzetz became the founder of Argentina’s military college and received the appraisal of President Sarmiento. Tzetz can also be considered one of the founders of the Argentinean-Armenian community. In 1892, Argentina started attracting immigrants from Syria and Egypt, and among them were many Armenians. After the 1910 massacres in Adana, nearly 2,000 Armenians settled in Argentina, and after the Armenian Genocide of 1915, several Armenians left Europe for Argentina and settled in this hospitable country. Currently, there are nearly 100,000 Armenians living in Argentina. They are mainly based in Buenos Aires, and nearly 5,000 live in Cordoba. There are also small Armenian communities in Rosario, Mar del Plata, as well as Misiones, Mendoza, Neuke, Rio Negro and Santa Cruz. The local chapters of the traditional Armenian political parties carry out their activities through cultural, compatriotic, benevolent and athletic unions and organizations, as well as through periodicals. The Argentinean-Armenian community is active in society and politics. There are several Armenian organizations in Argentina, including the Armenian General Benevolent Union, which is the first Armenian organization established in Argentina in 1911 and has chapters in Buenos Aires and Cordoba, the Armenia Cultural Association (established in 1951 under the sponsorship of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun), the local chapters of the ARF-D, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) and the Social-Democrat (Hunchakian) Party with their youth, cultural, educational and athletic substructures, the ARS Chapter, the Argentinean-Armenian Cultural Association, the Compatriotic Unions of Marash and Hatchn, the Siranoush and Boghos Arzumanian Foundation, the Argentina Chapter of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, the Armenian-Argentinean Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other organizations. The community’s central body is the board of trustees of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church named Armenian Center. There are five choirs and five dance ensembles adjunct to each of the organizations.  There are 6 Armenian Apostolic Churches (St. Gregory the Illuminator, St. Poghos Petros, St. Gevorg, St. Hakob, Varaga Holy Cross, Holy Trinity), one Armenian Catholic Church (Nareka Surp Tiramayr) and 2 Armenian Evangelical Churches. Since 1990, Archbishop Gisak Mouradian has been the Primate of the Argentinean-Armenian Diocese. The St. Gregory the Illuminator, the AGBU Marie Manoogian and Khrimyan educational institutions, the Mekhitarist School, the Vicente Lopez Armenian School and the Artsruni and Sahag Bagchejian School are based in Buenos Aires. Currently, there are 7 Armenian newspapers published in Argentina, including Sardarabad (Armenian and Spanish), Armenia (Armenian and Spanish) Weeklies, Nor Sevan (Armenian and Spanish), Generación 3 (Spanish), Vardanank (Spanish), Ararat (Spanish), Nor Hatchn (Armenian and Spanish), Tibet (Spanish) periodicals. There are nine Armenian radio programs broadcast for one or two hours in Spanish.

President Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with the members of this traditional community that has a long history. Addressing the Argentinean-Armenians, the RA President particularly said:“The Homeland-Diaspora partnership is one of our significant strategic directions. Today, Armenia is offering the Diaspora Armenians to become partners and is ready to provide them with opportunities to make investments. Armenia is creating mechanisms for Diaspora Armenians to gain profit in the Homeland. Our objective is to make the transition from benevolence to mutually beneficial partnership. I have said and today I repeat-Come to the Homeland! Make investments! By gaining profit, you will also help build the land of our dreams. By creating jobs, you will help prevent the emigration that concerns us all. We have said a long time ago-“A tree is a tree with its roots, and a home is a home with a foundation”. Armenians feel happy and powerful on their land. The country is powerful and invincible with its citizens…

What connects us Armenians cut off by seas and oceans? Of course, it is Armenia. We are linked by our history, our historic homeland and our losses, but the one thing that links us most is not what we have lost, but what we have found, meaning today’s Armenia. So, let’s be more loving, caring and tender toward the homeland that we have been able to save through great sacrifices. Come to Armenia to regain it since it is also yours and your children’s. All our future victories and everything that we’ll achieve in the future also connect us. Let’s shape that future now. Is there anywhere else in this unstable and dangerous world that is safer for the reawakening of the “Armenianness”? I highly doubt it. And I say to all Diaspora Armenians: If you want to stay and be Armenian politically, come to Armenia and become attached to Armenia with strong ties! Is there any place in the world where Armenians are losing knowledge of the Armenian language? Yes, there is, and that place is Armenia. Modern-day Armenia is the place for the eternity of the Armenian language. So, come to Armenia, or visit Armenia more often to become “rebaptized” and to “rebaptize” your children as well. People abroad say a lot of things about Armenia. Some people tell the truth, others exaggerate, others say good things and others say bad things. However, it’s better for one to see it once than listen a hundred times. Get your own impression and have your own notion of the real, not mythical homeland! Be rest assured that the real Armenia with Artsakh is more beautiful and closer to your heart than you can imagine…If you can’t live in Armenia, then you can at least live for Armenia and its successes, take pride in its achievements, as well as share its pain and burdens. Our major objective, the aim of all our actions is the homeland, the real Armenia. I have come here to tell you that you all are part of that real and established Republic of Armenia. You are all part of our homeland Armenia, dear compatriots, dear Armenians of Argentina. In conclusion, Armenia is the guarantee for the preservation and development of our national identity…”

Levon Mutafyan