RA MINISTER OF DIASPORA MEETS DIASPORAN ARMENIAN TEACHERS TRAINED IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Aug 3, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Problems concerning
most different directions of the Homeland-Diaspora relations were
touched upon at the July 31 meeting at the RA Ministry of Diaspora
between Minister Hranush Hakobian and 79 Diasporan Armenian teachers
trained in Armenia.

According to the RA Ministry of Diaspora, at the beginning Minister
H. Hakobian mentioned that the annual volume of budget allocations
for training of Diasporan Armenian teachres in Armenia increases
year by year. It made 2.7b drams (7.3m U.S. dollars) in 2009. Then,
she presented directions of state politic amendments towards
Diaspora during the recent few years made to the RA Constitution:
Armenian Diaspora conception; to the legislation: registration of the
institute on dual citizenship, foundation of the Ministry of Diaspora,
adoption of the partnership ideology in the Diaspora-Armenia economic
relations. H. Hakobian also presented functions and problems of the
Ministry of Diaspora.

The Minister also mentioned that though the Diaspora is multifoliated
it must by united in the issues of securing and strengthening of the
Armenian state, final and peaceful settlement of the Karabakh problem,
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. "We are of 10m and
must pour pride in our people. The 21st century must be the Armenian
people’s century," Minister H. Hakobian emphasized.

Sha also attached importance to the Armenian teacher’s role especially
in the affair of preserving the Armenian essence, mentioning that the
greatest benefactor is just the Armenian teacher. He is the one who
implements the greatest activity of keeping an Armenian as an Armenian.

The RA Minister of Daispora was introduced questions and proposals
by Diasporan Armenian teachers from Argentina, Georgia, Russia,
Iran, Egypt, Kuwait, Syria, Turkey, Switzerland who are trained in
Armenia. In response to the proposal of assistance to Diasporan
teachers by the Armenian state, the Minister mentioned that the
RA government has already started allocation of some financial
assistance for development of the Armenian schools and Armenology in
Diaspora. Besides, the state allocates rather voluminous resources
for implementation of all-Armenian programs in educational, youth,
cultural and other spheres. One of them is the Come Home program
the first two-week stage of which finished on July 30. Many words
of gratitude were addressed to the RA Minister of Diaspora on this
occasion. Egyptian Armenian teacher Shake Artinian assured that the
house of the family received her son within the framework of that
program was "really his." In her words, all the children received
by families within the framework of the program were pleased. The
Egyptian Armenian teacher mentioned that many Egyptian Armenian
juveniles expressed wish to visit the Homeland within the framework
of the Come Home program.

Minister Hranush Hakobian expressed her pride on the occasion that
the families receiving Diasporan Armenian young people accepted them
as own children. "I am proud that our Armenian root is so healthy,"
Mrs. H. Hakobian mentioned.