Historic Responsibility

The Convention’s deliberations on this Goal were divided into four main directions:

• “The Armenian Genocide”
• “Responsibility for the security of Armenia and Artsakh”
• “Preserving heritage and ensuring its recognition”
• “The responsibility of keeping Armenian’s national identity”

3.a. “The Armenian Genocide”

On thе еfforts aimed at recognizing the Armenian Genocide by the state, communities, Armenian organizations and individuals to date, the Convention aftervote was equally divided between these two top choices:

‒ They have not been very effective and sufficient, so changes in the approach may be needed (30.61%)

‒ They have been effective, but today, pan-Armenian efforts should be directed more toward solving security problems (30.61%)

To address the issue of effective and adequate campaign for the Armenian Genocide recognition, the Convention proposed to implement the following three steps:

• An online coordinating council for the Genocide recognition process – a coordinating committee that will harmonize the work in that direction with a complex strategy (62,18%)

The Convention underscored the collective commitment to strategically unify efforts towards the global acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide. This program is pivotal in enhancing the efficacy and coherence of initiatives across various fronts, ensuring a more impactful and coordinated approach to securing recognition and justice for historical atrocities.

• A campaign to include materials about the Genocide in other countries’ educational programs – Increased lobbying efforts to study and teach about the Armenian genocide in various countries (60,26%)

Being a crime of universal significance and condemned by many countries, institutions and people, the Armenian Genocide still remains a less heard and neglected issue. The Convention noted that unlike the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide is not taught properly and many Armenians, especially in the Diaspora, schools and universities do not study it. The problem becomes even more complicated for the next generation. A campaign may serve as a solution to the problem.

• An Armenian “Anti-Defamation League” human rights defending mechanism – an Armenian legal institution to lead the fight against genocide denialism (60,26%)

The Convention highlighted the importance of fighting against Genocide denialism and working towards establishing human rights defending mechanism. This institution would play a pivotal role in safeguarding Armenian historical truth and dignity by legally challenging and addressing instances of misinformation and denial, thereby promoting justice and acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide on a global scale.

To direct pan-Armenian efforts toward solving current security problems, the Convention prioritizes the implementation of the following steps:

• An “All-Armenian Web Army” – to gain advantages in virtual information wars and on all social networks by involving all willing Armenians (75.64%)

Azerbaijan and some other entities are constantly engaged in aggressive online campaigns against Artsakh and Armenia targeting the people, spreading hate speech, disinformation and fake narratives aiming to harming the Armenian interests, distorting facts and covering up their crimes against the Armenians. By mobilizing a coordinated effort across social media and online platforms, this initiative aims to unite Armenians globally in combating misinformation, false narratives and hate speech, to correct historical falsifications, and to present factual, unified responses to disinformation campaigns, thereby safeguarding Armenian rights and heritage in the digital arena.

• A pan-Armenian lobbying network – Supplementing the great work carried out by Armenian lobbying institutions in a unified, pan-Armenian format (64.51%)

The establishment of a pan-Armenian lobbying network can significantly enhance the effectiveness of Armenian advocacy efforts by bringing together the collective efforts of Armenian lobbying institutions in a unified format. This coordinated approach amplifies the Armenian voice on the global stage, ensuring that the interests and rights of Armenians are more powerfully represented and advocated for across international platforms. In the context of ethnic cleansings in Artsakh and forcibly displacement of Armenians from Artsakh, this initiative can have a significant importance and impact regarding speaking out about the rights and interests of Artsakh Armenians.

3.b. “Responsibility for the security of Armenia and Artsakh”

The Convention highly prioritized our historic responsibility on Artsakh and its preservation. This focus was clearly reflected in the following unequivocal declarations:

• The issue of Artsakh is an issue for the 10 million Armenians around the world (92.71%)
• Armenians all over the world should jointly assume responsibility for Artsakh and not leave the state and the citizens of Armenia and, even more so, the people of Artsakh, alone to solve this issue (83.87%)

The Artsakh issue, holding significance for all Armenians globally, demands a unified approach from both Armenia and the Diaspora for its discussion and resolution. The Convention firmly believes that matters of pan-Armenian concern should be tackled through the collective effort of Armenia and the Diaspora, emphasizing the necessity for unity in addressing such critical issues. Guided by this conviction, the Convention endorsed the following programs:

• An “Artsakh: 10 million” forum of Armenians of the world – on the agenda: formation of effective mechanisms that will become nodes institutionalizing the connection between Artsakh and the Armenians of the world (59.62%)

The “Artsakh: 10 million” forum symbolizes a critical initiative to consolidate the global Armenian community towards establishing robust mechanisms that institutionalize the connection between Armenians worldwide for Artsakh. This forum can be essential for fostering solidarity, ensuring that Artsakh’s challenges and aspirations are a shared concern, and leveraging the collective strength and resources of Armenians everywhere to support Artsakh’s security and development.

• An “Artsakh Foundation” for development programs – funding of projects that advance the economy and security of Artsakh, making Armenians around the world participants in the solution of this vital national issue (57.05%)²

After the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, the idea of establishing an “Artsakh Foundation” for development programs may still be valid. It will represent a strategic approach to engage Armenians worldwide in directly contributing to the preservation initiatives for Artsakh heritage and economically (and not only) supporting forcibly displaced people of Artsakh, symbolizing a unified effort towards addressing national challenges and overcoming the crisis together.

3.c. “Preserving heritage and ensuring its recognition”

The Convention’s position on heritage preservation was very clear and tangible:

• It is our duty to preserve our historical and cultural heritage and pass it on to the next generations. Both the state and Armenians around the world should dedicate as many resources as necessary to this purpose and do this effectively (61.74%)

To address the issue of Armenian heritage preservation and recognition, the Convention supported the following proposals:

• A unified list of all Armenian heritage pieces – documenting pieces of Armenian heritage, creating a system similar to UNESCO’s World Heritage List (72.19%)

The creation of a unified list of all Armenian heritage pieces is vital for cataloging and recognizing the vast spectrum of Armenian cultural and historical assets on a global scale, akin to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This initiative not only aids in the preservation of Armenian identity but also enhances global awareness and appreciation of Armenian heritage. It may be run by joint pan-Armenian Committee and the Preservation Fund.

• A campaign for the digitization of historical heritage assets – A major project to digitize, preserve and disseminate the assets we hold in all museums (59.30%)

Launching a campaign for the digitization of historical heritage assets is a critical step towards safeguarding and sharing Armenian cultural treasures with the world. By digitizing these assets, Armenia ensures the endurance of its cultural heritage against the threats of physical decay and obscurity, facilitating global access and academic research. Especially nowadays, when Armenian heritage in the occupied Artsakh is in thread and danger by Azerbaijan, such initiatives are vital and may have a significant importance.

3.d. “The responsibility of keeping Armenian’s national identity” 

On the issue of preservation of the Armenian language and identity, the Convention’s prevailing sentiment was that:

• While knowledge of the Armenian language is undoubtedly important, it should be acknowledged that language is merely a tool, and the act of forcing language knowledge can often have the opposite effect. Instead, it is crucial to create an environment and implement effective mechanisms that make learning Armenian both beneficial and interesting for individuals. Only then can we expect to encourage Armenian youth from around the world to learn and embrace their language and culture (72.90%)

The Convention noted that we need modern approaches and mechanisms that will be able to solve the problem effectively and will develop love and interest for the Armenian language among the youth. In this regard the Convention proposes to create:

• A coordinating council for youth exchanges – Enhancement and coordination of programs involving educational exchanges, camps, meetings and mutual visits) (70.90%)

The coordinating council for youth exchanges is essential for enhancing and streamlining programs that foster educational exchanges and cultural immersion, significantly strengthening ties among Armenian youth globally through shared experiences and learning.

It exemplifies a multifaceted approach that aligns with all three Goals of the Convention, offering a comprehensive solution to a range of identified issues. On this Goal, by facilitating direct interactions among Armenian youth from diverse backgrounds, it may significantly contribute to the preservation of Armenian identity, ensuring that the unique cultural identity is maintained across generations regardless of geographical location. It may also serve as a vibrant platform for cultural exchange, allowing young Armenians from both local and diaspora communities to share their experiences, traditions, and values, thus enriching each other’s understanding of their shared heritage.

• An “Armenian language through games” program – promotion of knowledge of the Armenian language and the Armenian nation through the creation and distribution of modern computer games (58.66%)

This can be a groundbreaking approach to learning Armenian, leveraging the appeal of modern computer games (apps) to enhance engagement with the Armenian language and culture among younger generations. This method makes learning Armenian both interactive and fun, significantly increasing the likelihood of retention and use, especially among diaspora communities and youth interested in connecting with their heritage.

• A network of Armenian virtual universities – a big push for online education among the world’s Armenians, specializing in the Armenian language and Armenian history (53.51%)

The establishment of such universities and networking them can be a move with significant importance to enable worldwide access to the education on Armenian language and history, giving the opportunity to the Armenians worldwide to connect with their heritage and each other, regardless of geographical constraints. Strategically important armenological subjects and topics such as “Armenian History”, “Preserving Armenian Identity”, “Armenian Genocide” and “Artsakh” can be taught and spread widely through Armenian Diaspora communities. It can also be a helpful tool to train the trainees – teachers for the Armenian schools in Diaspora.

• Creation of a foundation/institute that will arrange regular trips of Armenian language teachers from Armenia to Diaspora communities (for details, see Section 5.c)