A powerful Armenia needs a strategic and innovative development plan, an economic development plan. We need to develop and disseminate state ideology. We claim to have all these, but in reality we are strongly lacking in all three.
Convention Participant
There is a great connection between Armenia and India which spans over 500 years. The Armenians settlement in India went through great length to protect, preserve and advocate the Armenian Race. The Indian Armenians are one of the only Armenians who with the little population made an everlasting impact within and outside of the Armenian diaspora.
Zaven S., India
Signatory
There can be unity of the Armenian nation only around the issue of security. This is the point around which Armenians can unite.
Convention Participant
Back in July 2020 after the Tavush war, I realized that we, the Armenian diaspora need to do something for Armenia right away. Most Armenians in Diaspora have average paid jobs and unless we combine our resources for a specific well-planned project/s, the resources can be easily dissolved. The initial idea was to streamline the borderline villages in Armenia and Artsakh with building shared infrastructures and services that would motivate the rural population, give them hope about the future, make their lives productive and secure, and even boost tourism. Strong underground shelters; Water /Sewer; Electrical/gas grid/solar power; Rural and inter-village-town roads; Irrigation schemes; Area Center/Farmers Market; Kindergarten/Schools. Many things have changed since then. I however, keep thinking that we in diaspora have to do something NOW, today. The idea is this:
1. Gather likeminded donners, who are willing to commit to a rolling 1-year (or more) monthly contribution of $100.
2. Create a secure website (even thought of a name Մի Ծաղկով Գարուն) for donors, admin and the project team.
3. Find a trustworthy group of professionals who will implement the project/s (I understand the project selection and priorities can be different today).
4. Make all contributions, spending and accomplishments transparent via the website.
5. If one-year pilot is successful continue the initiative for next year/s. These are really high-level points and I am sure many others have suggested similar concepts, but the idea of fixed amount monthly contributions targeted on strategic shared services project/s, and the project implementation transparency might be something that will bring many Armenians together who are eager to do something tangible right away. Some of us have dreams/plans moving back to Armenia one day, working part time for Armenia, etc. These are all good plans, but we need to act now as the circumstances are changing rapidly and we can’t afford delaying what we can do today.
Armine L., USA
Signatory
It is not necessary to say that there is no trust; it is necessary to create structures that will support and contribute to the strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora trust.
Convention Participant
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
Everyone from the Diaspora and Armenia should become the PR ambassador of Armenia to the world.
Convention Participant
Առաջարկում եմ ցեղասպանության թանգարանում բացել ցուցասրահ,որտեղ կներկայացվեն ազգությամբ հայ գյուտարարները, որոնց գյուտերն ունեցել են համաշխարհային նշանակություն (МРТ, բանկոմատ, Նոր տարր..․ դրանք շատ են)։ Ինֆորմացիան լինի վիքիփեդիայի հղմամբ։ Պետական,պաշտոնական այցերի ժամանակ արարողակարգով նախատեսել այցելություններ նաև նշված ցուցասրահ, ինչը կօգնի ցույց տալ աշխարհին, որ Հայոց ցեղասպանությունը համամարդկային ողբերգություն ու կորուստ է նաև այն առումով, որ մազապուրծ հայերն ինչեր են ստեղծել աշխարհի տարբեր ծայրերում և ինչեր կարող էին ստեղծել։ Սա նաև հնարավորություն կտա բարձրացնել մեր ազգի պատիվն ու արժանապատվությունը, ինչի կարիքն այսօր ունենք բոլորս։
Արգամ Ց․, Հայաստան
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
There should be online platforms for training Armenian teachers.
Convention Participant
I suggest that we as community come up with strategy initiatives, and give opportunity for the signatories to join the initiatives they can add value the most. During one of the calls with Ruben Vardanyan, he was mentioning the importance of having focus areas, which have the most potential to grow and develop in Armenia. I completely agree with his thinking and believe that The FUTURE ARMENIAN can start with a few focus industries, such as Tech, Education, Agritech, etc. Later, each industry will have separate initiatives which people can actively contribute to. This will not only help set actionable goals, but also will improve the sense of community. The signatories will get to know each other, work together, and hopefully even more people around the world will become signatories, as they will be able to come and contribute with something they are passionate about.
Suzie M., UK
Signatory
I put my name to join The FUTURE ARMENIAN initiative the minute I received the appeal to be part of this "new family".
I call this a family because I believe in the idea of coordinated coexistence like in a family, cooperation by all like in a family and most important of all, the plan and ideal that members of a family work for.
I was watching misters Afeyan's and Vardanyan's interview with Mr. Ghazarian on the Armenian TV and was very much impressed by the vision that the two gentlemen expressed as well as by the plan they had to go forward. Or rather, as Mr. Afeyan brilliantly explained, to come back from the future.
Now, as a diasporan, I see three main obstacles why the Armenian diaspora has not been organized to its optimal capacity over a century:
1. The Armenian "traditional parties."
2. Lack of confidence in diasporans for a collective, unified Armenian efforts.
3. Absence of an organization, non political in nature, not affiliated to "the traditional Armenian parties" and the multi headed Armenian church.
As my first point implies, I see the Armenian parties, specially the ARF as the main obstacle for the creation of a pan Armenian organization that can unite and exploit all our resources, scientific, financial, technical, social, diplomatic, etc. in the Armenian Diaspora.
My plea will be to create such an organization (as suggested and planned by the visionaries of The FUTURE ARMENIAN) and to reach out to each and every Armenian all over the world where everyone will be aware of what his part in planning or action will be.
The Armenian Diaspora has immense potentials and capabilities if and when organized.