PROSPECTS OF COOPERATION

Yerkir/arm
August 26, 2005

Sponsored by Cilicia Catholicos Aram I, a conference entitled “Looking
for prospects of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation” was held on August
11-13 in Antelias. Intellectuals from Armenia and Diaspora were
invited to participate.

In his opening remarks on the direction the conference should take and
its prospects, Aram I said: “We hope that the unique nature of this
gathering would provide an opportunity for free thought, realistic
analyses and honest judgments away from all kinds of influences and
prejudiced approaches.” said His Holiness.

His Holiness stressed the importance of dialogue. “Talking
about each other away from one another leads us to alienation,
polarization. Being together and talking with one another lead us to
unity and progress. Our nation should choose the second path.”

His Holiness called upon the attendants to come out of their closed
circles and stay open to new challenges. “We need new and wider spaces
to inter-act with each other”, said Aram I. He stressed cooperation
as the pivot of the Armenian nation’s collective struggle.

“The sense of belonging to one nation has become the unshakable basis
of our unity, our strength, our survival. Therefore, we should talk
about cooperation between the two societies of a single nation. Any
other approach is not acceptable,” said His Holiness.

His Holiness summarized the main purpose of the conference in the
following three points: giving a new impetus to the cooperation between
Armenia and the Diaspora, challenge intellectuals to make people’s
voices and will heard, discussing the factors hindering cooperation
and looking for ways for giving a new drive to this cooperation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress