MINISTER OF DIASPORA HRANUSH HAKOBIAN’S VISIT TO UNITED STATES CONTINUES
YERE VAN, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Minister of Diaspora Hranush
Hakobian’s visit to the United States continues. On November 21, the
Minister visited AGBU Manukian-Demirchian and Rose and Alek Pilipos
Armenian Colleges in Los Angeles, where she met with members of
colleges’ Boards of Trustees, directors, and teachers, talked to pupils.
School headmasters presented the Minister with the educational programs
of Armenian educational institutions of the Diaspora, in particular,
Armenian Language and Literature teaching programs. They said that they
do their best for Armenian children to receive education according to
the Armenian spirit, based on the principle of deepening national
traditions and preservation of the Armenian identity.
During the meeting with the teachers Minister Hakobian presented the
functions of the newly created Ministry, its plans and tasks for the
future. Touching upon the educational sphere of the Armenia-Diaspora
relations, the Minister said that the forthcoming reforms of the
legislative sphere will be aimed at raising the role of the Diaspora in
the sphere of education and science. She said that development of
education is one of the primary directions of Armenian government’s
activity, as "knowledge is resource number one of the state of Armenia."
The interlocutors also touched upon undertaking of proper steps aimed
at raising the educational level, the importance of teachers’
retraining, printing Armenian Language and Literature textbooks in
Western Armenian.
The same day the RA Minister of Diaspora met with representatives of
the ARFD United States Western Region’s Central Committee, as well as
of Hay Dat, Armenian Relief Society, AGBU, Armenian National
Educational and Cultural Union, Armenian Educational Institution’s U.S.
Western Region’s administrations and national colleges, compatriotic
unions.
Hranush Hakobian presented the main directions and tasks of Ministry’s
activity, in particular, touched upon revelation and use of the
Armenian potential, preservation of the Armenian identity and
repatriation, presented the program under the title Come Home.
Hranush Hakobian also visited the Ararat Center of the Armenian
Physical Culture General Union, got acquainted with the sports and
scout activity of the 16 branches of Armenian Physical Culture General
Union’s U.S. Western Regional Department.
In the respect of development of the Armenian-Diasporan relations the
Minister attached importance to sports gatherings periodically held in
Armenia mentioning that they greatly contribute to making active mutual
contacts of Armenian young people of various communities of Armenia and
the Diaspora.
On November 22, the Minister of Diaspora visited the Union of Armenian
Lawyers. Hranush Hakobian attached importance to creation of world
networks of Armenian specialists in various spheres, including
advocacy, as well as to using their experience and knowledge for the
sake of Armenia. The Minister touched upon reforms in the court and
legal sphere of Armenia, called those present for taking part in that
work more actively.
The same day Minister Hakobian visited the city of Montebello and paid
the tribute of her respect to the memory of victims of the Armenian
Genocide laying flowers to their memorial.
During her visit to the center of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) the
Minister highly evaluated structure’s work of many years both in the
Diaspora and in Armenia. Issues regarding further cooperation of the
Ministry of Diaspora and ARS were discussed during the meeting with the
Board members of ARS.
On November 23, the RA Minister of Diaspora took part in a solemn
supper organized in honor of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, during
which she made a speech as the main reporter. The Minister mentioned
the importance of unity of all Armenians in the issue of building
statehood, presented Armenia’s achievements in the period after getting
independence, mentioned the tasks set before the Ministry of Diaspora
by the RA President.
On November 25, the RA Minister of Diaspora visited Mrs Karen Bass, the
Speaker of the Lower Chamber of California’s Legislative Body, Assembly
in Sacramento, who was elected to that post from the list of the
Democratic Party.
The RA Minister of Diaspora touched upon the Armenian community’s role
in California’s socio-economic life, in development of cultural,
educational, and trade contacts of Armenia and the U.S.
The Minister highly estimated the assistance of the U.S. government in
the process of implementation of democratic and economic reforms.
Mentioning that the mother tongue is of much importance in the respect
of preservation of the Armenian identity, the Minister expressed
support in the issue of raising teaching of Armenian Language in
California’s public schools to a new level.
The Assembly Speaker said that the legislative body is aware of the
history of Armenia and Armenian people. She attached importance to
cultural variety as a factor connecting various nations and promised
that she will study the raised issue.
The Minister visited the exhibition functioning in the parliament
building, dedicated to great Armenian writer William Saroyan’s 100th
anniversary.
The RA Minister of Diaspora met with Assembly’s Armenian deputies Paul
Krikorian, Greg Aghazarian, as well as other legislators. The Minister
visited Saint Hakob Armenian Apostolic Church of Sacramento.