SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL VALUES OF ARMENIAN-BASED AND DIASPORAN ARMENIAN YOUTH ARE SAME, DIASPORAN ARMENIAN PARTICIPANTS OF SUMMER SCHOOL THINK

Noyan Tapan
July 22, 2009

On July 20, the Armenian Young Women’s Association received the
Diasporan Armenian young participants of the Summer School program
organized by the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA). They discussed
with the guests and reporters the similarities and differences between
the Armenian youth living in Armenia and in Diaspora.

Opinions were expressed that the only difference between Armenians
and Disporan Armenians is the distance and the spiritual and cultural
values are the same.

"The Diasporan Armenians are more modest, devoted, patriotic, while
Armenian girls only think of having many clothes and sparkling
decorations," a participant of the discussion, Nvard said.

One of the guests expressed an opinion that Armenians living abroad
bear the influence of the culture and way of thinking of the country
where they live: "As people in their environment more listen and
speak English they will hardly completely feel the significance of
being an Armenian, it is the Armenian language that keeps awake the
realization of being an Armenian in each Armenian."

In response to the question of Chairman of the Armenian Young Women’s
Association Lilit Asatria of what the eight young participants of the
Summer School program revealed coming to Armenia, a resident of the
Utah state Sargis answered that in the course of time he lost interest
in Armenia, even did not want to say that he was an Armenian: "However
now I have changed a lot, I have realized that I would not like to be
a Mexican, a German or any other nationality, it is very good that I
am an Armenian." New York-based Elizabeth, coming to Armenia, began
thinking whether she is an Eastern or Western Armenian, and what kind
of contribution she will make in society as an Armenian.

During the discussion those present also tried to find out what should
be the basis of a stable family, love, respect, faith and whether
those present will marry representatives of another nationality or
Armenians living in different countries of the world. It turned out
that the primary thing for all of them was love.

In response to the question of why the participants consider themselves
to be Armenians, Sargis answered: "My father is a man who does not
like Armenians at all, and hates foreigners, that is why there has
been no contact with Armenians for many years. However I have always
considered myself to be an Armenian, as I have an Armenian surname,
culture and way of thinking." On the whole, the participants shared the
same opinion that Armenian is not the one who "crosses himself every
morning and eats dolma," for being an Armenian it is not important
to know Armenian and be a Christian.

Assembly Country Director for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Arpi
Vartanian wound up the discussion confessing that sometimes she feels
herself an inhabitant of Armenia, sometimes an American Armenian,
but before being a Diasporan Armenian or an inhabitant of Armenia
she thinks that we all are human beings.