RA Ministry of Diaspora
Department of Press and PR
Email: press@mindiaspora.am
DIASPORA ARMENIAN ARCHITECTS IN ARMENIA
Since its creation, one of the goals set by the Ministry of Diaspora of the
Republic of Armenia has been to consolidate the intellectual potential of
Armenians around the world for the development of the Homeland and it is
with that purpose that the Ministry has set out to organize and hold a
number of pan-Armenian professional forums.
The forum "Armenian Architecture and the 21st Century" was aimed at
contributing to the development of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership,
consolidating the architectural potential of Armenians for the development
of architecture in Armenia, creating preconditions for preserving Armenian
architectural heritage and establishing a Pan-Armenian Architects’
Association. The professional forums that gather Armenian experts from the
Homeland and the Diaspora provide the opportunity to organize more
comprehensive discussions on the issues raised through use of know-how and
experience of fellow Armenians from the Diaspora.
"Today we are laying the foundations for a new format of relations between
Armenia and the Diaspora. We are trying to bring Armenians around the world
together through one profession. We are trying to use your intellectual
potential, knowledge and experience for the development of the Homeland and
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic," stated Minister of Diaspora of the Republic
of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan during the opening ceremony of the Pan-Armenian
Forum of Architects.
The forum entitled "Armenian Architecture and the 21st Century" was the
first forum and was implemented through the combined efforts of Minister of
Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan and ministry staff in the course of two months.
More than 100 Diaspora Armenian architects from 18 countries (USA, the
Russian Federation, France, Germany, Canada, etc.) participated in the
forum. Among participants were local Armenian architects as well.
On April 20, an official reception took place at the Ministry of Diaspora of
the Republic of Armenia for participants of the pan-Armenian forum of
architects. Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan welcomed the Armenian
architects, presented the Ministry’s programs, issues and objectives and
attached importance to the need to organize professional forums.
On the same day, an exhibition of works by architects from Armenia and the
Diaspora entitled ""Armenian Architecture and the 21st Century" took place
at the Government Guest House. The exhibition showcased the sketches, plans
and drawings related to different spheres of architecture.
The teleconference with Armenian architects of California, which was held at
the Government Guest House, provided Diaspora Armenians who had come to the
Homeland with the opportunity to establish contacts with their compatriots
in the Diaspora. The teleconference was moderated by RA Chief Architect
Narek Sargsyan, President of the Union of Architects of Armenia Mkrtich
Minasyan, scholar Yuri Safaryan, Vice-president of the U.S. branch of the
Union of Architects of Armenia Ashot Duryan and President of the TM
associate organization Misak Tebelekyan. Participants of the pan-Armenian
forum of architects expressed willingness to support the solution to issues
of national importance that were raised during the forum by participating in
the development of Armenian architecture and preservation of
historical/cultural heritage.
On April 23, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan and participants of the
forum visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin where they were greeted by
His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. "You must leave a
lasting impression of Armenian architecture in the countries where you
reside and create. Your identity is completely Armenian," said the
Patriarch.
Then, participants of the forum visited the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide
Memorial and the Genocide Museum-Institute. Many participants shed tears and
relived the genocide perpetrated by the Turks in 1915 as they took a tour
around the exhibition halls.
The participants said the Lord’s Prayer beneath the columns of the Genocide
Memorial. Despite the rainy weather, Hranush Hakobyan urged not to postpone
the "Diaspora Garden" tree-planting ceremony and personally planted the
first tree along with the participants.
Summing up the work done during the pan-Armenian architecture forum during a
press conference, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan stated that this forum
was a great moral and spiritual leap for the Armenia-Diaspora partnership.
On April 24, participants of the Pan-Armenian Forum of Architects lay
flowers at the memorial in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of
1915. Then, they left for Gyumri to spend the day in Armenia’s second
capital and get acquainted with the architectural issues facing
earthquake-stricken Gyumri. The architects were greeted by Deputy Mayor of
Gyumri Rudik Hovhannisyan, chief architect of Gyumri Norik Manukyan and
other officials.
Deputy Mayor of Gyumri Rudik Hovhannisyan thanked the guests for visiting
Gyumri and remarked that the honorable citizens of Gyumri always remember
all the people and architects who helped the city come out of the ashes
after the earthquake. U.S.-based architect Hovsep Sarafyan addressed
citizens of Gyumri with his impressions and gratitude.
"Citizens of Gyumri are proud of their city. There is life and soul in the
architecture of Gyumri. Citizens of Gyumri preserve the antiquities and I
would like to see that continue in the future as well. We have come here to
provide our knowledge and experience and we will do it with great pleasure."
On the way back to their countries of residence, participants of the forum
took the words of Minister of Diaspora as a precept:
"We must take advantage of our diversity and strengthen relations between
Armenia and the Diaspora. It is time for us to present ourselves to the
world with the voices and actions of 10 million Armenians."
Leading expert of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia
Lilit Damiryan
04.28.2009
Translated by Tadevos Paskevichyan