In order to restore the ‘Armenia-Diaspora’ dialogue, 600 delegates from 50 countries are in Yerevan to discuss how they can contribute to ensuring Armenia's security, developing the economy and other areas. The best and most successful Armenians living around the world attend the first Global Armenian summit. According to the High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs, Zareh Sinanyan, they received many recommendations from local and international companies.
Zareh Sinanyan (High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs) - There are people who are ready, willing, have the opportunity, but do not understand where their place is, or where are the gaps that primarily require involvement from the Diaspora or help from the Diaspora. This summit is one way for us to present our reality to them today, because our reality in the Diaspora is presented in a very distorted way.
Ministers Vahram Dumanyan, Anahit Avanesyan and Narek Mkrtchyan participated in the panel discussion on education, healthcare and social security. The heads of the departments noted that the important thing that Armenia should take from the Diaspora is experience and knowledge.
Narek Mkrtchyan (Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of Armenia) - This is a very good opportunity for us to combine our forces, our ideas and understand what better ideas there are, what better approaches there are that we can combine, unite and have better solutions. In general, this is another good opportunity for us to present to the Diaspora what is actually being presented, what is being implemented in the field of social work protection and work in Armenia.
The newly appointed Chairman of the Tourism Committee, Sisian Boghossian, considers his example to be the best way to work correctly and effectively with the Diaspora. In 2021, he moved to Armenia from Canada under the ‘iGorts’ program, worked in the state system, and a year later was appointed to an important position. He says that any Armenian living in the Diaspora, if he thinks that he has something to do in Armenia, then many things can change in our country.
Sisian Boghossian (President of the Tourism Committee) - In the Diaspora, we have quite interesting ideas, we have ideas that we can really implement in Armenia, and we should also create special moments so that the Diaspora can return to Armenia to implement those projects.
Vahe Andonians, founder of German Cognaize, sees great potential in the field of information technologies in Armenia. He says that if it is implemented correctly, our country can be in the role of a transmitter rather than a receiver. According to Andonians, there is no gap between Armenia and the Diaspora and there cannot be. According to him, the Armenian people have a problem to face the reality in the post-war situation.
Vahe Andonians (founder of Cognaize company, Germany) - In reality, we did not appear, we ourselves made some decisions that brought us here, and it is important that people talk about it, understand the mistakes, make the right decisions for the future and go on a better and a brighter path.
There is an intention to make the Global Armenian Summit regular, to hold it every two years. The second is planned to be held in 2024.
