Not yet a week since I have returned from Armenia and Artsakh where he was attending the 8th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists which was convened by the Ministry of Culture. The forum was useful in the sense of all its goals but I will write about it on a separate occasion.
I live in a small town Hickory, North Carolina, USA. Our community is focused around Charlotte St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church and the local Armenian Cultural Association. Probably, you have not heard much about the Charlotte community. The community is young, small and has very limited opportunities. But here, people with great-hearted, humane and patriotic are living here about one of whom I would like to tell you today.
Yesterday, I got a phone call from one of the truly humble and exclusive human persons of our Charlotte community asking how was my trip to the homeland. I told about my enthusiasm and especially about the reforms taking place in Armenia and gaining momentum. But during the conversation, I learned what an ordinary man can do to the neighbor and the homeland. How silent and humble he can do it and with what kind of devotion. After the recent events in Aleppo, this man has begun to call his friends living in various locations of the United States asking for money for the transportation of Aleppo Armenians to Armenia. As you know, there are already several NGOs in Armenia to help those who are willing to settle in Armenia to come to their homeland. He told that he has asked 2500 dollars from someone who had sent 5000 dollars by post mail. Another person had donated 1000 dollars and all this money was transferred to the account of one of the organizations whole was supporting the Aleppo Armenians to move to Armenia with whom our friend is working already every day.
I must say that our friend has health problems and is moving with difficulty. However, these weeks, every Sunday, he goes to an American church to tells about the living of Christians in Aleppo and to ask for help to telling that Armenia is one of the few exclusive countries to help the people of Syria.
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This man is preparing envelopes during the week with a return address and information about Syrian Armenians and distributes to the Christian people who come out from this church. And so it goes every Sunday, and these resources go to Aleppo from Armenia so that those who are willing to settle down in their homeland be able to do it.
Now, some people may think that the figures mentioned here are small and their capacity is limited. But thanks to the efforts of this one person, 10-12 Armenians have been securely moved from Aleppo to Yerevan. This process is still ongoing. And if all of us and each of us do what we can for our nation and state. We do not have oil but we have a whole devoted army of patriotic people all over the world. The most developed countries in the world are not the countries that are rich in oil but the countries who have managed to use the potential of their human dedication correctly by creating a platform of justice and equal opportunity.
I believe that a silent and powerful movement has been created in Armenia and the Diaspora that strengthens our statehood. We all realize its significance and importance. Now, it is the time to tuck up our arms and the moment to ask a question to your own self, “What can I do for my nation and the state?” We love each other and God bless all our good efforts.
ARMEN HAREYAN
“Aravot”
