The host families participating in the “Ari Tun” Program received the Diaspora Armenian children and youth like relatives and established close ties with them. There are families that have been hosting the children and youth for several years and have expressed the willingness to open their doors to more participants in the years to come.

Garnik Gevorgyan, a member of one of the host families: “My daughter became so close with her peer Elen from Moscow that she considers Elen her sister. They keep in touch on the Internet. Elen will be visiting Armenia in November, and my daughter is more than excited.”

Elena Davtyan: “We have to do everything possible to make sure the Diaspora Armenian children and youth feel good while staying with the host families. They can get an impression of Armenia and the Armenian people just by staying with the host family.”

Anahit Aslanyan: “We have to work with the RA Ministry of Diaspora to preserve the Armenian identity and open our doors to the Diaspora Armenian children and youth.”

Kamo Sargsyan: “Our family is always ready to host the participants of this program. The RA Ministry of Diaspora is carrying out a great task, and we’re very content with the young Diaspora Armenian who was staying at our house and didn’t want to leave Armenia.”

Zhora Babalyan: “John from Jordan was a little depressed at first and didn’t want to communicate, but after seeing how kindly we treated him, he became close with us. We got emotional when it was time to bid him farewell.”

By Gevorg Chichyan