PROGRAM OF RA MINISTRY OF DIASPORA "MARRIAGE WITH BLESSING OF MY HOMELAND" LAUNCHED WITH MARRIAGE OF CANADIAN ARMENIAN COUPLE

NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
JULY 13, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On the initiative of
the RA Ministry of Diaspora the movement "Marriage with the blessing
of my homeland" was launched among the youth of Diaspora, and the
wedding ceremony of the first couple who responded to the program
took place in the capital of Armenia Yerevan.

According to the Press and Information Departement of the RA Ministry
of Diaspora, the goal of the program is to promote creation of new
Armenian families, preservation of traditions and customs of the
Armenian family, their taking roots in homeland, to contribute to the
strengthening of the Homeland-Diaspora relations, preservation of the
Armenian spirit, to secure the preservation and descent of Armenian
spiritual-religious and national values from one generation to another,
to contribute to the awakening of national self-consciousness of
the youth in Diaspora, bearing the influence of different cultures,
to encourage them in returning to Armenian roots and to promote the
pilgrimage of Diasporan Armenians to Armenia.

According to the Armenian tradition, after getting married in church
the newly married couple comes to the groom’s birthplace. Taking
into account the circumatance that the couple is from the Diaspora,
the RA Ministry of Diaspora was presented as a birthplace for them,
as the RA Ministry of Diaspora is announced as home for Diasporan
Armenians. The program was approved by Mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglarian
and a decision was made to organize the solemn wedding ceremony at
Yerevan Mayor’s Office.

The official part of Diasporan Armenian couple’s wedding ceremony took
place at Yerevan Mayor’s Office on July 11. Minister Diaspora Hranush
Hakobian and Mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglarian congratulated the newly
married couple and their relatives and wished them all the best.