The world is constantly changing. In parallel with globalization, a process in the opposite direction is taking place. Countries, even their particular regions, try to emphasize their peculiarities, even to create them. Armenia too has changed over the last three decades. However, what we have reached can be described as a political vacuum, more broadly defined, as a development vacuum. What is the way we can shape the perspective of Armenia’s future development?
Before moving on to the main point of discussion, it should be noted that disseminating any idea (and the perception of it) within our country and our globally-spread nation is a process that assumes consistency. It needs an understanding that we do not deal with a project, which assumes a beginning and an end. Steps planned toward the country’s development should be systematic, carried out continuously and consistently. It is imperative that, through educational and promotional activities, such steps become UNDERSTANDABLE for and, more importantly, ACCEPTABLE by the people. LEARNING FROM own and others’ EXPERIENCES is a necessary precondition for the development of a country.
Vahagn Vardanyan
Below, the proposed foundation of the development perspectives is briefly presented as ten program theses, listed in a particular logical sequence.
- We Armenians are a global nation. Before the current critical situation, and especially now, it is a priority for our nation to ascertain, perceive, and accept the answers to our main civilizational questions. Among others, it is crucial to substantiate the existence and inhabitation of our nation and the Armenian state in the area.
- We should understand and accept the geographical affiliation of our civilization. The latter is based on the landmass bearing the name ‘Armenian,’ which our state and nation carry – the Armenian Highlands. It seems to be the only landmass globally, the name of which is held by a country and its primary race (as opposed to the sea, for example, the Japanese Sea or the Indian Ocean). The Armenian Highlands is the historical-geographical reason for the Armenians living in the area, which does not assume any proof but needs to be adequately and consistently promoted.
- It is necessary among the country’s society to carry out works in the education field to strengthen the understanding of the concepts of ‘sovereignty’ and ‘statehood.’ The main goal of the Armenian state is to preserve the nation through the protection and development of the Armenian civilization. The only guarantee for the preservation of our global nation is the strength of the Armenian state. And the precondition for the existence of the state is the armed forces that should get stronger every day. Any other direction is misleading and does not serve the goal of protecting statehood.
4.Armenia needs a comprehensive approach to the development of national identity. National identity is carried and lived by a person. The promotion of national identity should aim at making Armenia the center of our global nation. First of all, this means turning Armenia into a cultural center (to some extent, this is already a case).
Given that present-day Armenia (the Republic) is not a historical homeland for most Armenians around the world, it can nevertheless represent the Armenian culture for all. The next step is to make Armenia a political center for Armenians, including by making Armenian citizenship attractive to Armenians and encouraging their participation in the processes taking place in the country. And the third, highest level is to turn Armenia into an economic center for Armenians. The aspiration to invest, live, and work in Armenia cannot be achieved by force. Neither is it realistic to encourage living in Armenia or visiting it frequently for purely emotional reasons. The role of economic interest is predominant (we cannot run away from this reality); the state’s efforts should be directed to creating favorable conditions for business by ensuring a stable political and economic environment.
- Transforming Armenia into the center-focus for Armenians thus implies nationwide mobilization (in the broadest sense of the word). At the heart of this mobilization is ideology.
- At the heart of the ideology is the idea, the national idea. The development of such an idea is a precondition for the development of the educational system. It is necessary to shape, as sociologists suggest, the ‘modal type’ of a citizen, that is, what kind of citizens the country needs. The current situation, in this respect, has its advantages, as the formation of this modal type is carried out more effectively during the crises we now experience. The target of the transformation is only 7-8% of the country’s population, which is about 50,000 families across the country. Through consistent work, in a decade time or so, it will make it possible to move from the current financial-economic elite to the intellectual one, which will lead the whole society.
- At the heart of the transformation of the education system, which itself is a crucial precondition for development, is a change in the attitude toward education. Those with a low level of education should follow the educated ones, not the other way around. It is not just a matter of possessing education documents but the dominance of professionalism and rejection of dilettantism.
- At the heart of the attitude toward education is raising the role and prestige of educators. It is the educator who, together with the family, lays the path for development and qualitative transformation of the person and shapes values.
- It is necessary to clarify (in terms of the desired value system and the anticipated intellectual-educational level) what kind of educators the country needs to form this ‘modal type’ of a citizen.
- To have a sufficient number of educators of the desired type, within the framework of the goals mentioned above, as a starting point, initiation of a strategic development plan of the education field is essential. Its implementation, certainly, requires proper funding, which is a gradual process and not a one-time act. It should be noted that without such a plan, expecting a feasible outcome simply by talking about strengthening the reputation of educators is at least self-deception.
Vahagn Vardanyan, PhD (Political Geography and Geopolitics), Hong Kong
This article was first published in Armenian by Aravot.am on 27.02.2021
