The RA Ministry of Diaspora will launch the 2015 “Ari Tun” Program for the homeland recognition of Diaspora Armenian youth this summer. Paying heed to the call of the homeland, young Armenians with longing will once again travel from different countries to the homeland, and Armenians in Armenia will receive them once again with open arms and will give them the joy of being and discovering new things in the homeland, especially to those who have never set foot on the homeland and haven’t breathed the fresh air in the Armenian highlands…

What does a young Diaspora Armenian get out of participating in the “Ari Tun” Program? This is a question that has many different kinds of answers and has been discussed several times. The first imperative of this program is to help familiarize young Diaspora Armenians with Armenia the homeland, instill in them the awareness of national identity, introduce them to Armenian national customs and traditions, the Armenian family and the mindset of Armenians, promote the strengthening of bonds between Armenia and the Diaspora in terms of morality, psychology, education and culture and instill in them the eternal love for the homeland.

Now, more than ever, this is an urgent issue for millions of young Diaspora Armenians who, living under the linguistic, cultural, religious, social and political influences of the country of residence, accept the morals and lifestyles of the country of residence, forget the native language, become detached from their roots and lose the Armenian identity. The “Ari Tun” Program provides Diaspora Armenian youth with the great opportunity to return to their roots, recognize their national belonging, establish contacts with their peers in Armenian in the homeland and get to know Armenia the homeland. One of the important factors is the establishment of friendly relations between the participants of the program. After long tours, the children and youth become closer, and upon their return to their countries of residence, they keep in touch because they continue to communicate with their sisters and brothers in Armenia and in the Diaspora. Words can’t describe how they feel when the time comes for them to bid each other farewell. I have personally witnessed how they have hugged each other around the Farewell Bonfire on the last day of their stay at the camp, trying to stay with each other as long as possible.

The success and guarantee for the development of the “Ari Tun” Program are the sincere and heartfelt words that the young Diaspora Armenians have expressed, saying: “My homeland is so nice! I regret not having visited earlier! We don’t want to leave Armenia…”

The youth feel the air and spirit of the homeland when they visit the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex and the Yerablur Military Pantheon. After leaving these sites, the boys express their feelings with the following: “We will return to Armenia and serve in the Armenian army.”

The major precondition for the “Ari Tun” Program are the host families that unconditionally open their doors for the young Diaspora Armenians and treat them like their parents.

The employees of the Department of All-Armenian Programs at the RA Ministry of Diaspora undertook the initiative to visit the host families after the end of the program. According to the employees, all the families were happy and smiling as they talked about the children, and most of the families assured that they were willing to host them again.

The 2015 “Ari Tun” Program will kick off on June 14^th and will end on August 29^th. The program will be held in eight stages, each of which lasts 14 days. The youth will participate in Armenian language courses and will go sightseeing and visit historic and cultural sites in Armenia. During the camping program, they will also take part in instructive programs, take Armenian language and native studies courses, learn Armenian songs and dances and meet with Armenia’s state, public and cultural figures.

This year, all the programs of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, including the “Ari Tun” Program will be dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Lessons, literary and musical events and commemoration events will be held within the frames of the program with the slogan “I Remember and Demand”.

Good luck to the “Ari Tun” Program for homeland recognition of Diaspora Armenian youth! Welcome to Armenia the homeland, Armenians around the world!

Gevorg Chichyan