Step by step and day after day, “Ari Tun” program enlarges its functions and scopes, and in addition to its priority of organizing the summer holidays for our compatriot young boys and girls living in Diaspora and resolving some issues related to recognition of their homeland, it is becoming a patriotic educational school. Our homeland has a rich military history – many battles and struggles have been recorded, numerous pages have been written about the heroism, by framing the famous and anonymous heroes who sacrificed their life for sake of their homeland; we are talking about the true heroes, whose glories led to the resonance throughout our history of the 20^th century, being reflected firstly in the heroic Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa, and subsequently in Artsakh, the pick of our heroic history, representing the first and significant step for us towards reaching the vision of liberation of one small part of our Homeland.

While many fighters of the past wars were deprived of having tombs, while those diseased during the Second World War were buried in the mass grave, in most of case anonymously and being unknown, while collective monuments were erected for the warriors of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa struggles, the heroes of Artsakh liberation struggle are buried in Yerablur, which, while representing a small particle of dozens of cemeteries, reflects memory and admiration, as well as pride. Hence, Yerablur is the monument of our pain and grief, our heroism and pride with the tombstones situated side by side and the portraits of humble heroes.    Yerablur is also a unique school of courage and bravery, as, when coming here, one doubles his fists, and perceives that the homeland is more precious and beloved, and speaks about our spirit and essence with more pride.

For the participants of “Ari Tun” program, Yerablur became a new milestone for the Homeland recognition and a unique school of patriotic education. The organizers of the program have truly prioritized the visit of the participant young boys and girls to Yerablur, as this is the place, where they had an opportunity to see the tombstones of our heroes, where every day fresh flowers are brought and about which our your compatriots living far from the homeland knew very little.  Going back to their countries, they will take these names with them to remember forever and to be proud of them. “After coming to Yerablur, I was filled with patriotic spirit. Here we saw the heroes, who had sacrificed their life for sake of the Homeland. Many of these heroes came to fight, though they used to live far from the Homeland. I am proud of being their compatriot” – said one of the participants of the program. The children attached an importance to the notion of patriotism, as patriotism is not a mere call and stand, it is a feeling, a call out and belief coming from far away and voicing in your heart. Perhaps dozens of lectures and talks cannot be as impressive and influential as one visit to Yerablur. The children lit candles near the tombstones, put flowers, thus enriching their memories. Later, they are going tell about their impressions at their places, and will take a pride in the fact that this tortured land still gives birth to heroes.  Among them there are many heroes from Diaspora, who came to fight for their Motherland. They had come for the national mobilization to revenge for the centuries of sorrow.

After Yerablur, the program participants visited Tsitsernakaberd – the monument dedicated to the victims of the Genocide. This Monument has its peculiar reflection in the memory of these young boys and girls, as hearing for many times about the Genocide, here they could have an exceptional perception of the pain and sorrow of the Genocide.  In 2015 all Armenians are going to unitedly memorize the 100^th anniversary of the Genocide; they will claim inclination and justice, condemnation and recognition.  Each of these young people will stand next to adults, as in Tsitsernakaberd they have seen the materialized image of the Genocide.

One of the key components of the program is visiting military units, familiarity with the routine of the servicemen. This year, the participants were taken to several military units, and sitting next to the servicemen, they could enjoy the meal, watch their workout and then listen to lectures dedicated to our army and heroes. We always talk about the might and power of our army, the way it is organized, and now the participants of the program can see the 18-20 year-old soldiers with tanned faces, symbolizing our Army. It is not surprising that the young people from Diaspora have assured that they are going to come and serve in the Armenian Army, and defend our boundaries. Thus, the goal of the program is justified and substantiated, and very dear and understandable to these young people.  It is not excluded that some of them will become a new Monte, will come from faraway countries and defend Armenia, our biblical Homeland, the source of which is this small land, with spiritual borders extending though all meridians, where people speaking Armenian and having an Armenian heart live.

Levon Mutafyan