The Diaspora should work in the direction of strengthening Armenia, Armenia should be at the center. Armenia should become a strong and safe country. Like the Jews, we should be able to create a powerful country, even if it is surrounded by enemies.
Convention Participant
The 15 goals you have established should have instead been only 3:
1. Take care of what you have left.
2. Always set realistic, achievable goals.
3. Stop pursuing fairy tales.
If we ever, by some miracle, come to the point as a nation where we finally are driven by the motivation to develop and take care of what we have rather than cry and dream about a vast Wilsonian Armenia from sea to sea, that is when we will be deserving of having our own independent state.
The most patriotic thing to do and to comprehend for us, Armenians, is that we should solely focus on building upon the internationally recognized tiny piece of land we have left and stop talking/daydreaming all the time about Shushi, Kars, Van, Mush, etc., and focus on Ijevan, Goris, Meghri, Gyumri, etc.
The only thing that could make you, as a political movement, different from the rest of the so-called political parties in Armenia, is if you would emphasize the need to be realists and to finally learn from our own damn history.
Samvel R.
Signatory
Սփյուռքի անվստահության խնդիրը գալիս է Հայաստանից, Հայաստանը պետք է սկսի օգնել Սփյուռքին, դա կբերի փոխադարձ վստահության։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
I'd ask that waste management be considered as part of the overall plan.
Trash and litter fit on the top-ten list of initial impressions about Armenia, important to consider when we want people to return here.
Our beautiful marzes are lined with discarded bottles and bags. Trash dumped into gulleys leads to toxins carried by small streams into rivers and ultimately to farms. Batteries and fluorescent bulbs leaching metals into our water can cause neurologic problems that will certainly be a challenge to diagnose.
Currently there is paper, glass and plastic recycling available. We should push for battery, fluorescent and e-waste recycling.
Jerry M., USA
Signatory
Լեզվի համահայկական կազմակերպություն պետք է ստեղծվի։ Մեր ռեսուրսները քիչ են, պիտի այս պահից սկսած ուսուցիչներ պատրաստենք սփյուռքի համար։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
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
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
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
In the case of the development of such events, we will not have a Diaspora in the modern sense after 100 years. Connections and relationships between individual people are important, but they are few. We need connections at the interstate, governmental, and other level, programs that will keep the Diaspora viable.
Convention Participant
We must create a mechanism by which the peoples who experienced Genocide can receive compensation for the losses they suffered.
Convention Participant
One of the ways to preserve the heritage is to enrich it in a new way, to add something new to the existing one.
Convention Participant
Предложение следующее: Создать YouTube канал, задача которой будет включать несколько аспектов инициативы The FUTURE ARMENIAN - Единство Армении и диаспоры, сильная диаспора, эффективные партнёрства, профессионализм и стремление к совершенству, сохранение наследия.
Контент будет состоять из нескольких линий передач. Жанр - интервью и репортаж. Каждая передача будет рассказывать про определенного героя армянина и его деятельность за границей. Можно начать с России. (У меня уже есть некий список гостей). Это будут люди, которые внесли большой вклад в определенную область, или создали что то новое и интересное. (Например я знаю врача, который уже долгие годы время от времени летает в Армению и делает бесплатные операции или есть мужчина, который создал эко кафе, где он спасает диких животных и ухаживает за ними и т.д) Другая передача может быть о тех, кто во время войны и после организовал и оказал огромную помощь и т.д.
К сожалению в последнее время часто слышу от наших соотечественников следующую фразу - раньше с гордостью заявлял, что армянин (армянка), а сейчас стесняюсь и скрываю. С помощью этих передач, хочется повлиять на несколько аспектов - показывая наших героев, вернуть людям гордость за своё происхождение. Укрепить связь между Арменией и диаспорой за счёт рассказов, чем мы славимся и занимаемся за пределами нашей Родины. За счёт информационного поля помочь героям передачи привлечь единомышленников, клиентов, потребителей или партнёров. Вдохновить молодёжь на креатив, помочь осознать, что можно не просто ходить на работу каждый день, а мечтать и воплощать в реальность крутые проекты, которые принесут пользу и внесут что то свежее и новое, внушить людям, что после войны жизнь должна продолжаться и если не взирая на политику, каждый будет заниматься своим делом и развиваться, то будущее точно будет светлым для нашей страны.
Передачи могут быть на русском или армянском с титрами перевода.
Если удастся раскрутить программу и обрести любовь зрителей, то спонсировать её придётся не долго и в дальнейшем канал сможет сам покрывать свои расходы.
Честно говоря я хотела найти команду, создать и вести эту передачу ещё в прошлом году, так как постоянно узнавала про интересных армян и из деятельность, но тогда началась война и естественно стало не до этого, но возможно именно сейчас лучшее время для воплощения этой идеи.
