RA MINISTER OF DIASPORA LEAVES FOR U.S. COMPLETING HER VISIT TO LATIN AMERICA

Noyan Tapan

Nov 21, 2008

SAO PAULO, NOVEMBER 21, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. On November
15-17, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian was in the city of
Sao Paulo, Brazil on a working visit completing her regional visit
to Latin America.

During the two-day visit the Minister of Diaspora visited three
Armenian churches and took part in the liturgy served by leader of
Diocese of Brazil of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Tatev
Gharibian, which was followed by a reception at the Primacy. Then
Minister Hakobian on behalf of the RA Ministry of Diaspora laid a
wreath to the memorial of victims of the Armenian Genocide.

The same day, on November 16, the Minister left for Osasco, which
is the sister-city of Gyumri. The Armenian delegate visited the
cross-stone-memorial donated by Gyumri Mayor’s Office and placed in
Osasco and joined the crowd gathered in the Armenian Center of Osasco,
among which was also Mayor Emidio de Souza reelected lately. The Mayor
had arrived in the Armenian center to greet the RA Minister and to
reaffirm his readiness to establish close cooperation with the Armenian
city of Gyumri. Minister Hakobian made a speech during the meeting.

The Minister also met with the Armenian society of Sao Paulo in the
Armenian Club of the city. She made a long speech presenting the
strategy adopted by the newly created Ministry, events implemented,
as well as necessity of establishment of close cooperation new
in the respect of quality between the two parts of the Armenian
people. In the same place she had a tete-a-tete talk with Federal
deputy of Brazil Sidney Carvalho aimed at further development of the
Armenian-Brazilian relations.

Minister Hakobian’s next meeting was at the Armenian General Benevolent
Union where discussions with administrative members of all Armenian
structures functioning in Brazil took place, which was followed by
an official dinner in honor of the Minister of Diaspora. Brazilian
deputy Arnaldo Faria de Sa was also among those present, with whom
the Minister discussed the possibilities of establishment of closer
relations between the two parliaments, ways of reconsideration
of activity of Brazil-Armenia deputy friendship groups and making
active the contacts in the Federal Parliament of Brazil, as well as
the current stage of the process aimed at recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the Federal Parliament of Brazil.

On November 17, Minister Hakobian visited the national Durian college,
which is the only Armenian educational center in Sao Paulo. After
college pupils performed national hymns and Armenian songs the Minister
first addressed to the college pupils then had a private meeting
with the college administration and Armenian language teachers. The
importance of undertaking proper steps aimed at raising the educational
level, teachers’ participation in retrainings in Armenia, printing of
Mother Tongue and Literature textbooks in Western Armenian in Armenia
were touched upon during the discussions.

According to the report of the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, visit’s last meeting was with the Board
members of the Brazilian branch of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund,
after which Minister Hranush Hakobian left for the United States.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress