On April 3, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received famous lawyer, Canada’s Citizenship Judge Aris Babikian.

Greeting the guest, the minister said: “We Armenians take pride in the fact that we have a compatriot like you in Canada. We understand how difficult it is to reach such a position in a foreign country and are grateful to you for having dedicated your entire life and energy to the Armenians, the preservation of the Armenian identity and for helping increase Armenia’s reputation in the international arena with your professional activities.”

Expressing gratitude for the cordial reception and appreciation, Aris Babikian talked about the actions that the Canadian-Armenian community and the Canadian government have been taking for recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, their new initiatives and emphasized that the goal-oriented programs for youth are especially in focus.

The sides mentioned with satisfaction the Canadian government’s generosity towards Armenians and Armenia and emphasized that it was necessary to enhance the Armenian-Canadian cooperation in economy, education, tourism and other sectors.

At the end, Minister Hranush Hakobyan granted the Gold Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to Aris Babikian for his notable contributions to the Armenia-Diaspora partnership, as well as for his great contributions to the Canadian government’s recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.