OVER 1000 DIASPORAN ARMENIAN YOUNG PEOPLE’S VISIT TO ARMENIA ENVISAGED AT FIRST STAGE OF PROGRAM COME HOME
Noyan Tapan
Jan 14, 2008
YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. It is envisaged
to implement the first stage of the program Come Home in 2009, within
the framework of which over 1000 Armenian young people from abroad
aged from 14 to 25 will visit Armenia. They will stay with Armenian
families for 3-4 weeks, will get acquainted with the national values,
Armenia’s historic-cultural monuments, will communicate with people
of the same age.
RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian’s meeting with Yerevan
prefects was dedicated to the discussion of organization issues
regarding this program.
The Minister said that the program reflected in the RA state budget
and government program besides Yerevan also involves the Armavir,
Ararat, Aragatsotn, and Kotayk regions. It is envisaged that young
people will visit Armenia from Russia, Georgia, Iran, Near East,
Europe, and the United States.
According to the Minister, the program will contribute to formation
and strengthening of contacts between Armenian and Diasporan young
people. H. Hakobian is convinced that a young person visiting the
homeland for the first time thanks to the program "will leave Armenia
becoming completely Armenian and with the willingness to constantly
come to the homeland." The Minister said that today a great movement
has started in the Diaspora as well in connection with the program,
and Diasporan Armenians form young people’s groups consisting of 10-15
people, and the list of families receiving the young people should be
made up in Armenia. She expressed the hope that a few charity flights
will be organized by the airlines, which will enable to receive more
children in Armenia for instance, from the RF Krasnodar territory. The
Minister said that for instance, 34% population of the town of Sochi,
Krasnodar territory are Armenians, 90% of which do not master Armenian.
The prefects raised an issue on responsibility for this or that
negative manifestation emerging during program’s implementation. In
response H. Hakobian said that in order to prevent such situations
there should be bilateral letters of recommendation from proper bodies
on both the young people and the families receiving them in Armenia.
The Minister said that it is envisaged creating a body and a working
group coordinating program’s implementation in the future. The
Minister promised the prefects that the criteria, according to
which the receiving families should be chosen, will be worked out
and introduced by late January asked the prefects to introduce the
receiving families’ lists by late February.