I am one of the signatories for The FUTURE ARMENIAN initiative. I live and work in US. I have spent more than 50% of my life in US after moving at the age of 20. I think the 15 goals are a good starting point, but most importantly we need to think of the root causes that led us to where we are today and try to address them.
My view of things that have to be done to reach the 15 goals are:
Revive our education system starting from kindergarten. Work towards making sure the teachers and professors are the highest qualified and best paid jobs in Armenia
To stop and reverse the emigration, ensure basic requirements for life in Armenia are met:
Affordable and high quality Healthcare and Education system
Promise and fulfilment of dignified retirement
Safe military service through technology assistance and professionalism
Help diaspora to reintegrate seamlessly through remote connection then gradual linking and eventual repatriation.
My view of how this could be done is primarily through some serious government policies and investment projects including:
Create technology incubators or tax free economic zones (Digital Health and Biotechnology, Renewable Energy, High Tech etc) that would attract a lot of diaspora and foreigners professionals as well as capital.
Ensure the professionals from above are tightly engaged in education systems in Armenia
Use the outcome of the above activities to strengthen education and safety systems of Armenia
Invest the resulting outcome and value of the above back into economy and education to deepen the process.
These points can be broken down into further details and technicalities.
Grigor B., USA
Signatory
I have lived in three European countries as a professional expat. And in every single place I could see how difficult it was to integrate with the Armenian community. The Armenian embassy in that country has no clue how many Armenians are in there, what is their occupation, how can they be useful for the community and for Armenia etc. Neither the church takes the mission to unify people. There are clear layers depending on the time and cause of immigration. So you are either a descendent of the Genocide survivor and/or Dashnak, either you came during 1990s or you came to study/ work. So these layers live in separate bubbles and don't interact with each other. During 2020 war the ice has been broken and there was a period when these layers became transparent and people were looking all to the same place for the same goal. We should work towards making us all unified be it in Paris, in Brussels or in Moscow. I think Armenian embassies and churches can be helpful to unify the communities in each country be it via brainstorming sessions, cultural events, volunteering jobs or anyhow. My suggestion may sound not concrete, but as someone living in diaspora and someone who is looking for ways to be helpful for her country, I find this one of the pain points of our diaspora. By solving this we will move 1 step closer towards the strong diaspora. Best regards from the Netherlands,
Anahit A., Netherlands
Signatory
Հաճախ Սփյուռքից բարձրաձայնված խնդիրներն ու հարցերն ավելի լավ են հնչում, քան Հայաստանից ասվածները։ Սփյուռքն այս առումով կարող է ծրագրային մեծ առաջարկներ իրականացնել։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
Անհատական է մոտեցումը, երբ խոսքը վերաբերում է ինքնության պահպանությանը։ Մեծապես ծնողի որոշումից է կախված՝ իր երեխան կխոսի՞ հայերեն, թե՞ ոչ։ Կարևոր է կիրակնօրյա դպրոցի դերը և երիտասարդական զանազան միությունների առկայությունը։ Համայնքների դերը նույնպես կարևոր է։ Պետք է ճիշտ ուղղորդել երեխաներին։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
It may be right for other nations not to think so much about national problems and live their own lives, but this does not work for us, because we are still under the threat of genocide.
Convention Participant
Everyone from the Diaspora and Armenia should become the PR ambassador of Armenia to the world.
Convention Participant
Cultural education can become the means through which we can educate, as well as teach ways of struggle to our generations.
Convention Participant
We all are coming from our childhood. If we want a strong country, if we want to feel proud, we need to start the investment from the children.
A long term program that we may see the results after 20 years.
I am not an expert on behavior science, but as a mother of two and a public health specialist I am sure that with a nationwide program and investment in our children, the future can belong to us.
My dream is to live in my country, from where no one wants to leave!
Karine N., Armenia
Signatory
1. Education must be at the top of the political agenda, number one priority for the government
Organize high-level discussions with all the stakeholders (students, teachers, experts from all the sectors of economy )
2. We don't have an appropriate education system, creativity environment in schools, which creates uncertainty in education
3. Feedback loop is not working in education sector, problems are usually not reveled as a result of implemented research
4. We should start reforms in education sectors from two aspects: reforms in adults' education and in preprimary education
When children see adults that aren't learning, they don't want to learn as well
5. Governance in education should become a little bit psychological, like in business. Value the role of psychology in education
6. Educational reform can't be imported, it can be created and developed
7. Teacher attestation has one positive side – as a result, those who pass it will get higher salaries. This will also motivate those who start off their careers as teachers to aim for higher-paid jobs. On the other hand, the attestation system creates other, bigger scale problems: not necessarily all those who pass the attestation perform well as teachers in the classroom. So, what’s the index of a good teacher – we need to start from there. Additionaly, good test takers and subject experts are very different concepts
Serob Kh., Armenia
Signatory
Պետությունը պետք է հաշվի նստի մեր այսօրվա քննարկման հետ ու հասկանա, որ չի կարող զիջման գնալ այն հարցում, որը հարյուր հազարավոր հայեր պահանջում են ճանաչել։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
Պետք է օրգանական կապ ստեղծել ՀՀ-ի և Սփյուռքի միջև։ Այս խնդիրները լուծելու համար պետք է լինեն մեխանիզմներ։ Կարելի է ստեղծել թեկուզ խորհրդատվական մարմին, որտեղ կպատասխանեն Հայաստանում բիզնես սկսող սփյուռքահայերի բոլոր հարցերին։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
According to research, we can develop an Armenian identity when we are in an Armenian environment. That identity depends on language, culture, dances, and communication with other Armenians, so it is necessary to create an Armenian environment.