”˜Diaspora is part of Armenia’ (Photo: Scout Tufankjian)
BY RAFFI BEDROSYAN
From The Armenian Weekly
When the Government of Armenia decided to establish the Ministry of Diaspora in 2008, the objective was to form a partnership between the Armenian state and Armenians in Diaspora and to help strengthen the ties between Armenia and Armenians abroad, by preserving the Armenian national identity in the Diaspora and the historic homeland. This was to be accomplished by developing multiple pan-Armenian initiatives in educational, professional, entrepreneurial, cultural, social, and sports fields, as well as by combining the talents, skills, resources and capital of both Diaspora and Armenia Armenians. Thanks to the strong personality and leadership of the first and only Minister of Diaspora, Hranush Hakobyan, the Armenia-Diaspora partnership has been founded on a solid base, with many success stories.
”˜Diaspora is part of Armenia’ (Photo: Scout Tufankjian)
But there are also many failures, particularly in the areas of Diaspora investment. When Karen Karapetyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, sent an appeal recently to the Diaspora Armenians to strengthen their ties and commitment to Armenia, the response from several Diaspora organizations and activists within Armenia was mostly negative, citing several examples of failed initiatives due to corruption and bribery. Some even blamed the Armenian government for thinking of Diaspora just as a “cow to be milked”
