Artak Zakaryan Delivers a Speech in International Seminar on Diaspora-Homeland Relationship
“Distinguished colleagues, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Knesset of the State of Israel, to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Jewish agency for Israel for the organization and hosting of this representative event. It should be noted that such kind of events are considered as an effective platform for the discussion of multispectral issues, as well as the exchange of opinions and experiences.
Dear Colleagues, the parliament of the Republic of Armenia has its unique and significant role in the context of comprehensive state activities aiming at developing relations with Diaspora, solving the issues related to Diaspora, as well as consistent approaches and potential of introducing the Armenian identity to the world. The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, in the context of its defined inter-parliamentary policy, emphasizes the importance of developing the relations with Diaspora, as well as the role of Diaspora structures regarding the evolvement of relations with partner states.
During the last years, the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, in the context of state defined priorities, tried to have its own contribution in elaboration of pan-Armenian projects regarding Diaspora, evolvement of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation, as well as development of potential of Armenia-Diaspora-Nagorno Karabakh interaction.
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The committee cooperates with the Ministry of Diaspora, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aiming at revealing efficient solutions related to the development of relations with Diaspora, as well as cooperation with the Diaspora structures.
Dear colleagues, today’s discussions regarding Diaspora have great importance in my country and they are always active for us. As you know, the Armenian Diaspora is one of the largest in the context of geography and involvement of human resources. Currently, in different parts of the world live more than ten million Armenians, one-third of which inhabits in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
The history of formation of the Armenian Diaspora goes back to the Middle Ages. The formation of modern Armenian Diaspora is a consequence of the Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923. In this period about 1.5 million Armenians, living in their ancestral homeland, were systematically exterminated by the Ottoman Empire, thousands were displaced from their homes and dispersed throughout the world. As a consequence, in different parts of the world were formed Armenian communities. The next enlargement of the Armenian Diaspora was related to massacres, persecutions and crimes committed by Azerbaijani authorities in 1988. Today, the Armenians are dispersed in more than 120 countries of the world.
At all times the core issue for the Armenian Diaspora has been and is the issue of preservation of Armenian identity. As important preconditions for the preservation of the Armenian identity is considered the unity and self-affirmation of Armenian Diaspora, as well as the joint activities regarding education, religion and culture.
The existence of vital relations between Homeland and Diaspora, the nutrition of the vein linking Diaspora with Armenia, as well as the continuous and comprehensive relations between two Armenian segments served as a basis for the evolvement of new qualitative relations with Diaspora. In 1991, after the independence of Armenia, relations between Armenia and the Diaspora intensified and reached a new level of cooperation.
In that period, the experience of the past and the advent of new challenges required the new level and quality of national self-governance. We appeared in a new reality, which was related to the existence of the Armenian State. This new reality created both for Armenia and Diaspora new rules of cooperation. With the advent of new challenges we had to feel the pulse of new time as well as processes.
We conceived and today we still know how much Armenia has to do for Diaspora and how supportive Diaspora has always been to Armenia in all its initiatives.
The created realities advanced the development of the relations with the Diaspora and necessity of putting the coordination to a new state level. In this context, in 2008, on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Armenia Mr Serzh Sargsyan, was established the Ministry of Diaspora. This decision intended to give an impetus to the development of Armenia-Diaspora relations, to allocate state sufficient resources and mechanisms for the promotion of these relations. The Ministry is in charge of drafting and implementing the policy of the Government of the Republic of Armenia aimed at the strengthening of ties between Armenia and the Diaspora, development of cooperation with non-governmental organizations, preservation of Armenian national identity, revelation of potential of the Diaspora, drafting of the repatriation programmes and work in other fields reserved for the Ministry under the supervision of the President of Armenia.
Dear colleagues, as important mechanisms of cooperation may be considered the establishment of so-called “Hayastan all Armenian fund,” as well as the establishment of educational “Luys” foundation, which grants a loan or scholarship to Armenian students worldwide to study at the world`s top universities. Another important step is the adoption of dual citizenship. As a result, today, thousands of people living abroad received the Armenian citizenship. This is considered to be an effective means aiming at keeping the Diaspora-Homeland link alive.
Another important and effective mechanism in Armenia-Diaspora relations is the establishment of Armenia-Diaspora Forum. The 5th Armenia-Diaspora representative forum was held in 2016. During the past five forums the representatives of Armenia and Diaspora discussed the vital issues related to Armenia, Diaspora and Nagorno-Karabakh.
An important achievement in Armenia-Diaspora relations is the activation of educational system. In Yerevan State University the Department on Diaspora studies has been established. The alumni of this department after graduation possess the appropriate knowledge on Diaspora issues, as well as skills and abilities to work with Diaspora structures. Armenia attaches great importance to the promotion of Armenian language in Diaspora communities. In this regard, various projects are being implemented with the institutions and organizations of Diaspora, aiming at encouraging the youth and making the teaching of the Armenian language in Diaspora more accessible and affordable. In the context of this priority, the summer school called “Diaspora” is functioning in Yerevan State University. The courses of the summer school are mainly focused on key areas such as the intensive study of Armenian language, the training of Armenian language teachers and the organizers of Educational Missions, as well as journalists, young leaders and organizers of community activities.
Вe attach great importance to the systematic development of Diaspora communities. For this purpose, in the state level, the training course for young leaders and organizers of community-activities is being conducted. In the framework of this project we are aiming at contribution to the mutual recognition, the establishment of stable relations with homeland, introduction to the domestic and foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the activities of the Ministry of Diaspora. We try to work with each community and region separately aiming at conceiving their priorities and discussing the opportunities for cooperation.
The unique role and popularity in Homeland-Diaspora relations has the project entitled “Ari tun or Come back home.” This project was successfully launched in 2009. During the past 7 years in the framework of this project more than 6000 Armenian young people from 54 countries of the world visited Armenia. The aim of the project is to introduce the youth of Diaspora to the cultural, social life of Armenia, as well as the religion and family traditions. The project aimed at contribution to the formation of sound relations with homeland, strenghtening national identity, as well as establishment of warm relations between Armenian and Diaspora.
Dear colleagues, т oday the global challenge for Armenians is related to the issues of Syrian Armenians. We have a large community in Syria. Due to the war in Syria, thousands of Syrian Armenians had to leave their habitats and find shelters in different countries of the world. Thousands of them expressed desire to move to Armenia. Till today Armenia has received thousands of Syrian Armenians. Despite the scarcity of the state funds, tasks were issued by the President of the Republic of Armenia, to solve the existing problems of our compatriots.
Dear colleagues, the Republic of Armenia in state level is emphasizing the promotion of the investment policy in Armenia. In this endeavor the great importance is attached to the increased cooperation with Diaspora.
In state level the necessary measures have been taken aiming at promotion of the cooperation with Diaspora investors. Such measures include the creation of favorable business environment, provision of state support, increase of competitiveness in business sector. Great efforts are made for the analysis of investment potential of Diaspora, as well as elaboration of cooperation mechanisms
Dear colleagues, we will continue keeping the interaction between Armenia-Diaspora and Artsakh alive and will do our best to nourish better the link which bonds all Armenians all over the world.”