“I believe that,not only an Armenian individual should take away, by he should give back to his people and his co-religionists. In my case, I have given back not only to my people, but also the humanity…”.HrayrJebejianbegan the interlocution with these wordsat our meeting. Perhaps, people who happen not to know Mr. Jebejian, would ask a question – who is HrayrJebejian? Answering to this question, one could say that he is the General Secretary of the Bible Society in the Gulf, Chairman of the Board of the Bible Society in the Middle East and “Armis” Armenian Evangelical Cultural Committee. However, this is only a small piece of HrayrJebejian’sfull-scale biography. We recommend our readers, interested in getting to know the long way passed by Mr.Jebejian’s, to read this article.

Let’s continue our interlocution and give the floor to HrayrJebejian:

– I have provided my services through the Church. I belong to the Armenian Evangelical Church. I believe in the Ecumenical Movement, particularly the inter-church one, as you cannot live with yourselves, in your collectivity, you should disclose, especially nowadays. I belong to the Armenian Evangelical Church, but I am disclosed, and I believe in inter- ecclesiastical links, i.e. other Churches and communities should establish links with each other.

In a professional capacity, I travel lot. But I always find time to visit those countries, where there are Armenian colonies. I try to scrutinize the Armenian reality, to find out the challenges of our people in various colonies. I meet Armenian people; get to know their living, their life style, which further become material for my topics and articles.

Three years ago I published my first volume – Collection of Articles titled “The Armenian’s Path of Struggle for Existence “. The editor is my wife Arda.

– Mr. Jebejian, you said that you travel a lot, and the outputs of your trips are your articles. How would you describe Armenians living in various countries and communities?

– If you want to understandan Armenian, you should live with him in the country, where he lives. Here is where the struggle for existence begins. And the struggle for existence is not the same in France, Lebanon, Syria, Estonia or Latvia. Here is where the variety of our Diaspora reality begins.

One should try to see and understand an Armenian within the scope of his living; each has its own peculiarity. Therefore, we are used to say that the Diaspora and Diaspora Armenian reality represents a unique mosaic picture.  And each Armenian tries to search for a way of how to preserve his Armenian identityin the country where he lives.

In each country visited by me, I try to see an Armenian in his shoes, rather than in my Lebanese shoes. Each of them has his own challenges, and that is why the Armenian coloniesare in the core of my articles. I try to reveal the Armenian’s struggle for existence in different countries, which, while being different, sooner or laterbecomes necessary. This is our fate. These particularities are interesting, as well as difficult and complicated; however, one should be involved in this struggle and win.

– In spite of the differences, what is that unifies the Armenians living in various countries?

– A very good question. In spite of the differences, I have tried to find the common denominator in three points.

Firstly, currently we are going through ahistorically watershed period, which is the 100^th anniversary of the Genocide. The common denominator in various colonies, where we are living, is the Genocide, recognition and demand.

Secondly, the need to preserve the Armenian language, the Armenian identity, culture, the Armenian history.

Each Armenian is involved in these struggles in places where they live. Especially, when talking about 3-4 generations.

Thirdly, our Christian belief, which is an essential challenge for us. That is why, wherever we go, we build churches. Church is a place, where the Armenian people get together. Hence, the major issue is tying the new generation with the Church – in a big pan-Armenian picture.

These are the common denominators unifying the Armenians living in various countries.

– Mr. Jebejian, in one of your works, you have addressed the globalization issue, raising the question whether it entails abolition or restoration of the cultural identity. I would like you to dwell on this issue. 

– There are various viewpoints regarding globalization. In general, there are many negative aspects, particularly, in terms that globalization extinguishes the national identity, culture, etc., and I understand this. But today we live in a globalized world, whether we like it or not, or, whether we accept it or not. Should we go against it? No, because that is the worldof today. One should simply try to understand how to use the positive aspects in globalized world, so that our national identity isrevealed.

According to the socialists, while globalization ruins the borders, national identities, it helps, in the meantime, to make attempts to restore the loss. Today, our history has many examples, where, feeling danger, people and collectives make attempts of localization vs. globalization, i.e. they try to preserve local identity and withdraw into themselves.

This is the very place, where one should try to balance globalization and localization and to strengthen our national and cultural identity using the contemporary media, especially in view of the fact that the current generation is a generation of the informational culture.

– Mr. Jebejian, recently you were awarded with the “Ambassador of the Native Language” Medal of the Ministry of Diaspora, which is granted for contribution to the preservation of the Armenian identity, for efforts made in preservation and development of mother tongue, as well as for the promotion of reinforcement and developmentof the Armenia-Diaspora scientific-educational partnership. I would like to know for what you were granted this award.

– First of all, I would like to extend my deep gratitude to the Minister of Diaspora HranushHakobyan for this surprise; personally, I am very much thankful and touched. Being an Ambassador of the Native Language…. means being an advocate of preservation of people’s national, cultural and language identity. This is a sort of my challenge, my mission, notwithstanding that I work for the Bible organization, which has its special agendas. However, the Bible organization and its mission may also overlap with national and cultural identity. Through the Bible, I try to see, in various Armenian colonies, where Armenians live, what the Armenian is, what the Armenian’s challenges are, and how the Armenian should preserve its national identity.

As people, we have reached the point, wherefrom we cannot anymore move forward with criticism. Of course, appropriate criticism is good, but today our people need a positive power, so that it could continue its struggle for existence and withstand the challenges. Hence, I believe in that positive power. As a positive power, one may consider the preservation of national, language, cultural and Christian identity;when conveying it to the youth, we should be able to show that they should take pride in their Armenian, national and cultural identity. What reasons could make us not to take pride? if it is the language, then we havevery rich language. My colleagues say that the most precise translation of the Holy Book is its Armenian translation. In many languages it is called Bible. Only in Armenian we say “Astvatsashunch” – the breath of God. When looking through the pages of the Bible, it says that the book is the breath of God. If you belong to such language, why shouldn’t you but be proud of it?

We have rich culture, art, literature on a world scale. We especially need to convey this positive power to the new generation, so that they could take pride in their identity. Taking pride does not mean discrediting the others.  One should love and respect the others, in the same time taking pride in own identity. Christ says that one should love his friend as himself. Should you fail to love yourself, you will not be able to love the others. You should love your language, identity, history, so that you could understand the others, their culture, and be able to convey yours.

Despite all the hardships, we should preserve our language and identity. To overcome the difficulties, we need positive power, which should stem from the Homeland and be transferred to Diaspora. Here is where Armenia and Diaspora should be side by side and together be able to inject the positive power in the people.

We should not forget that we have this great mission of the demand.

– The latter has been expressively addressed by you in one of your articles, titled  “The wound is deep…”.

–  The article is, indeed, the reality. I should have conveyed it, shouldn’t I? For example, Ihave the photos of all my grandparents in the album at home. Of my family members, 25 have been martyred during the Genocide. I have the pictures and I know the names of all of them. Every time, when I open the album, these pictures are looking at me. They do not talk, but they have a behest to convey to me. I cannot ignore the memory of these people. They say to me that they have been martyred, but you should continue. I must continue through myself and my children. This is our behest and our mission.

– Mr. Jebejian, you talked about the need of the positive power. I wonder, what is the source of your positive power?

– What a good question! Thepositive power is, first of all, the Bible. I always say that the Bible is acollectivity book, a book that is never outdated. Therefore, for the time being it has been the most popular bestseller throughout the world. Why? Because the behest in it has not been outdated. Each time, when you open it, it has something to say to you with interpretation in view of your situation. This is thepower of the Bible.

I get my positive power from the Bible and use that power for my Armenian people, in all our human relations, in the immediate struggle for existence.

Therefore, I encourage people to read the Bible. The Bible is for everyday reading. This is a book providing you sober-minded and free thinking.  You begin to judge the phenomena and to have free thinking. You begin to see the others in view of their values, conditions and capacities. And youbegin to analyze all that dispassionately. This is a great positive power. For example, instead of criticizing the homeland, you just start saying thatyou should have this or that type of investment, so that the homeland would strengthen and prosper. The negative approach does not build, whereas the positive one does. We should become powerful following this way.

– I think that you get positive power from your family – your children and especially Mrs. Arda.

– Of course, behind every successful man there is a smart woman.  The greatest gift that I have received from God is my wife Arda and my children. I couldn’t even expect any giftgreater the one I have; money, house – all that is transitory and one may lose it in a minute. Arda has always been supportive to me, my job, convictions and my works. It is also due to that support that I can work. You know, I am traveling for already 25 years, leaving my home and family. If I wouldn’t have athoughtful wife and other half like Arda, I wouldn’t be able to do all that.

God has blessed us by giving us two cute children – Vahe and Alik. Both are patriot children and the Armenian identity has been firmlyenrooted in them. It is a great happiness for me, as it is a quite difficult mission to raise children with the Armenian identity in Diaspora. Thanks God, together with Arda, we have been able to raise our children with the Armenian identity. This is a positive power for us. Both of them dance in an Armenian dance ensemble. And when you see your children performing Armenian dances, it is the greatestinspiration for me as an Armenian.

Mrs. Arta, patiently following our talk, completes Mr. Jebejian’sspeech. It should be noted that Mrs. Jebejian is a professor of the Department of Philology, Sociology and Law at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, and sociologist-linguist

– Our children are our pride. From early childhood, every Sunday they would go to church, which played a crucial role in their identity. My daughter- Alik is 13 years old and now is a teacher at Sunday school: she gatherstogether 24 babies and tells stories from the Bible.

Working climatedominatesat our place; all of us should work. Sometimes I say to my children, it’s enough, don’t do your lessons, and do not read. But they do itroutinely, not because we make them do it. The children of our Armenian friends are like that, all of them are doing their best at school. My children know six languages, but the primary language for them is Armenian, and they prioritize the Armenian history.

As my husband said, they are dancing in the Armenian dance ensemble. Their teacher, who is from Armenia, explains them what is the meaning of each movement, when, while dancing they stomp on the ground and shout. They come home and tell all that to us, and say what a nice culture and dances we have, all based on the history. I listen to them and say – Thanks God.

Continued by Mr. Jebejian.

– The role of Armenia is essential in formation of the identity of young people. I hadn’t visited Armenia for 10 years.  When I saw the current state of affairs and the progress through these years, now I am more than sure that I am going to become an advocate of stronger ties for the new generation with the Mother Land. I say this also as a parent, when recalling the inspiration of my boy after returning from Armenia.

Armenia is our basis, our identity and our land. When you set your foot on the land, you know that it is yours, it gives you the identity. Here you do not feel yourself as a foreigner. I do not preach nationalism, but am talking about patriotism, which are absolutely different things.

My heart pains, when I see Armenians emigrated from Armenia to various countries. I understand that the economic condition is the reason of it; I understand that economic condition is not perfect in Armenia.  However, being born and living in Diaspora is not easy. We have grown up with nostalgia for our land, homeland and identity. Finally, is there such place in the world where everything is perfect? Armenia is ours with its positive and negative aspects. Nothing is perfect; only God is perfect.

We should understand how to enlarge and vitalize whatever we have. Throughout the last ten years a lot of things have changed in Armenia. When I went to Etchmiadzin, the city was different from what I had seen ten years ago. All these should be taken into consideration; irrespective of the hardships, the Homeland is in good progress.  This is what we should maintain and prosper. No other way should be sought.

– How would you like to conclude your speech?

Hrayr– I wish you strength, vigor and success. As I told to Ms. Hranush Hakobyan, my wife and I have come to reestablish our links in the homeland, which is the main goal of our visit. Our wish is that you be well and stay strong. We have a nice homeland; together we should continue to solve our problems.

Arta – Again and again I have loved Armenia very much and take pride in so many positive changes occurred. Everything has become more beautiful. I wish to have more close links. Should we be helpful any time to our Homeland, given our specialty and experience, I and Hrayrwill be always ready to contribute our share, so that we could mutually benefit and be supportive to each other. There is potential in placeboth abroad and in the homeland; we just need to jointly contribute to the development of the Homeland.

We have Homeland, where all speak Armenian, smile and are helpful. One cannot see it abroad. These are things that we should see, value and maintain…

– Thank you for an interesting interview

Interviewed byLusineAbrahamyan