Այս քննարկումները պետք է իրականացվեն մարզերում, որպեսզի հասկանանք մարզում բնակվողի խնդիրներն ու պատճառները։ Խնդիրները լուծելուց հետո մարզերում կավելանա ծնելիությունը, որը մեր ազգային անվտանգության խնդիր է։
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
Կազմակերպել ճամբար տեխնիկական ոլորտի մարդկանց շրջանակում։ Կազմակերպել ճամբարի ընթացքում կազմակերպել սեմինարներ կապված գիտության կամ նորագույն տեխնոլոգիաների խնդիրների, նորարարությունների ստեղծման և այն բիզնեսի վերածելու ճանապարհների մասին։ Կազմակերպել խմբային մրցույթ «լավագույն արտադրանք» գաղափարով և հաղթող խմբին կամ խմբերին աջակցել այն կյանքի կոչելու համար պայմանով, որ իրագործվի Հայաստանում կամ հայկական անվան տակ։
Հարութ Վ․, Հայաստան
Signatory
Այսօր սփյուռքում հայ ուսուցիչների մեծ բաց կա։ Ֆրանսիան ֆրանկոֆոնիայի համակարգն ունի, մենք էլ կարող ենք ստեղծել մի այնպիսի կազմակերպություն, որը, տարբեր երկրներում տեղական պայմաններից օգտվելով, ոչ միայն մտածի ստրատեգիայի մասին, այլև միջոց լինի ուսուցիչներ առաջարկելու համար։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
1. When building alliances, it is important to develop different scenarios and understand their peculiarities, so it will be possible to flexibly switch from one to another.
2. Economically strengthen and develop Artsakh, ensure security
3. Artsakh have many opportunities in dipital sphere(IT)
4. Smart businesses and investing in startups is important in long-term prospective
5. Important to collaborate and import human resources to Armenia and Artsakh from Diaspora
David A., 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
Մենք կարիք ունենք մի համակարգ ստեղծել, որպեսզի հասկանանք, թե տարբեր երկրներում մեր հայրենակիցներն ինչ լուծումներ են տալիս տարբեր հարցերի։ Միգուցե մենք արդեն ունենք մի այնպիսի լուծում, որը կարող է օգտակար լինել մեկ այլ երկրի հայ համայնքի պարագայում։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
Reading. Goal is that people respect people, people learn setting goals and working towards them. Armenians do not make debts to buy something luxury. People understand life-long learning is feasible and valuable. Networking is not related to bribery and corruption. Armenians make rational decisions.
1. Create lists of 10 books every modern Armenian should read. It should contain books teaching skills/thinking needed in 21st century and books reminding and inspiring Armenians to be Armenians. “Atomic Habits”, “The Art of Thinking Clearly”, “The Art of Good Life”, “Emotional Intelligence”, “Freakonomics”, “The Richest Man in Babylon”,
2. Make reading books available for everyone. In rural communities, school libraries can work for the first time. We need public libraries like in AUA where anyone can read a book, maybe do some homework without being disturbed. We need to make internet accessible for everyone.
Vardan V., Armenia
Signatory
First of all, I salute this great work of analysis and reflection that you have carried out.
Here are my brief remarks:
Tourism. Indeed, the near absence of direct flights and at "comfortable" times is a real brake. Moreover, there is a lack of translated Armenian literature and tourist guides about Armenia in European bookstores. There is an obvious lack of general knowledge about Armenia (culture/art, architecture, music, cuisine...) and its history. It is necessary to publish books for potential tourists who are looking for original and authentic destinations.
Tourism that includes the discovery of Armenia's rich biogeography should be developed (in addition to ecotourism and cultural and religious tourism).
Agriculture: some serious questions to be asked. I will be very cautious with the proposal of intensification in the agricultural field (fertilizers, chemistry/phytosanitary and especially, the seed!). This orientation presents strong environmental and human health risks, as the European experience has shown. Armenia is not an agricultural country that can "feed the world", but it has undeniable assets because Armenia represents a "Hot-spot" of biodiversity and endemism. Thus, more than productivity, it is the promotion (and conservation!) of endemic and local species that should be put forward. Moreover, it would be necessary to think about "seed banks of crops and "wild" plant species" to be developed or to enrich the existing world collections. I see Armenia as a country where organic agricultural production would be largely dominant: these are modern "trends" that can bring a real added value to our agricultural or natural products without such a significant harm to the environment and health of intensive and technological agriculture. The world is in full restructuring and abandonment of intensive agricultural production: we must join this movement and preserve our small country.
" The use of advanced seeds and agricultural technology” - concretely, what are we referring to (not the "Monsanto" type approach, I hope)?
Focus on production of essential products (grains, fodder, pork) to achieve self-sufficiency and food security. Expansion of exports to target countries (Russia, Ukraine, UAE, Saudi Arabia), including fruits, tobacco and wine products.
Why focus on pig farming? One of the most problematic breeding from an ecological point of view! - Only "traditional" extensive breeding, in semi-freedom (like in Corsica or Spain: food by the big oak trees, etc.) could be suitable, in my opinion. Ex. sheep and goats in mountain pastures, etc.
We could promote/export cheeses, dairy products (matsoun type, etc.) in Russia and elsewhere; our canning factories (vegetables, fruits) are famous...
Eventually, "local" spirits.
Reclamation of fallow lands to expand land use by encouraging consolidation to increase production
Attention should be paid to soil depletion (a big problem in the world) and in Europe at present, while Armenia does not have large cultivable areas (except for the Ararat valley).
It is necessary to think about the establishment of the units of treatment - valorization of manure / dung / organic waste in general. Currently, there are organic fertilizers production units (humic and fulvic acids, etc.) which are not very energy consuming and should be installed near the farms/sources of raw materials.
Use of high technologies in agriculture: yes (e.g. use of satellite data for crop management), but taking into account the climatic, geological and edaphic specificities of Armenia - a whole applied science to develop!
In a general way, I noticed serious problems of waste disposal and garbage cans in Armenia (no sorting nor recycling/valorization of waste)...
The energy question is not addressed in the summary, although it is a key question for all the economic and social branches and a sine qua non condition for the independence of the country. What about "renewable" resources (solar, geothermal, hydro...)?
About the management of water resources - France seems to me to be a good example with its watershed approach, applying the "polluter-pays" principle, the mutualization of fees to safeguard the environment... Water is declared a non-alienable national asset.
Education / Teaching: languages - in addition to English, Russian could make a comeback so that Russian specialists can contribute their knowledge. Today, only the generation of the 60-70s still speaks Russian + the diaspora in Russia.
I am not sure that the public education in the USA (except for the big schools and universities) is an example to be taken! Serious problems are well known in the schools (kindergarten, primary, secondary, high school) in the USA. Good examples are Finland and Korea.
Health: Armenia can develop a network of health care centers (in particularly suitable places: mountains, thermal waters, as in Switzerland) or personal services for foreign retirees (especially of Armenian origin).
Industry/ technology: Transition from low-cost outsourcing to specialized value-added services to increase productivity and protect the economy from the growth of multinational corporations
Yes and yes again! Armenia was once known by the production of high value-added goods. It would be necessary to find the fields where specialization and high qualification of workers can be an asset and compete with China and India (electronics, IT...). Moreover, this field will allow the development of partnerships with foreign countries. Quality and originality (at the cutting edge of technology) are the key words for Armenia (like Japan).
I hope that my questions and my personal feeling can help to better formulate the directions to be developed in Armenia.
Maia A., France
Signatory
1. There is more or less complete data and statistics on the Armenian energy field from 2015-2016. This is one of the issues we should concentrate on – the availability of complete and transparent information.
2. In comparison to other countries in the region and those with compatible conditions with Armenia, according to indexes of energy security, energy consumption, and environmental stability, Armenia is left behind.
3.Data shows that during the past 10 years Armenia has managed to increase energy generation by 30%, in the meantime the energy loss was decreased as well. There still is much potential for decreasing energy loss.
4. There are problems with reliability of energy supply
5. Energy strategy 2040 drawn by the government includes 70 projects in 11 directions. The conclusion we drive from what we have analyzed is that the country needs to put its efforts into:
Developing industry with high added value;
Boosting energy security and independence;
Increasing operational efficiency and reliability;
Enhancing the stability of tariffs;
Improving transparency, reliability, and availability of data and statistics;
Setting long term ambitions yet realistic targets;
Making the most of the current global energy context to the country’s advantages.
6. Most importantly, the key here is to gather a maximum number of field specialists, have brainstorming sessions and proceed from there
7. Armenia has a big potential in solar energy
8. Hydroenergy resourses are used with their maximum capacity, wind power can be used only in some regions , there is a problem with the wind density
Gaik O., Armenia
Signatory
We must continue to educate. Education will provide us with distinct abilities so that we can respond correctly and quickly to the changing situation and advance our interests.
Convention Participant
Հուսով եմ այս մի քանի առաջարկը կապված 50000 ընտանիքների վերադարձի վերաբերյալ օգտակար կլինի այդ գործընթացը սկսելու ճանապարհին։
1.Կազմակերպել հարցում (առցանց) հայկական սփյուռքի շրջանում (իմանալու համար թե որքան ընտաիք է պատրաստ ներգաղթել ՀՀ)։
2.Ուսումնասիրել շուկան, որոշելու համար ինչ մասնագիտությունների պահանջարկ կա և տեղափոխվել ցանկացողներից ,որ մասնագիտության տեր մարդկանց առաջնահերթություն տալ։
3. Հարցում կատարել ըստ ոլորտների (IT, արտ.ձեռնարկություններ, պետական սեկտոր) իմանալու համար ինչ թափուր հաստիքներ են առկա և արդյոք պատրաստ են այդ հաստիքներում սփյուռքից ժամանած մասնագետների ընդունել։
4. Համագործակցել պետ. կառույցների հետ վիզաների և ՀՀ անձնագրեր ստանալու գործընթացը արագացնելու նպատակով։
5. Կազմակերպել դասընթացներ լեզվական դժվարություններ ունեցող մեր հայրենակիցների համար։
6. Լուծել 1-2 ամսվա այն հայրենադարձների բնակարանի հարցը, ովքեր դրա կարիքն ունեն(նախօրոք կազմել ցուցակ , թե ովքեր են ՀՀ-ում պատրաստ հյուրընկալել հայրենադարձներին իրենց բնակարաններում 1-2 ամսով)։
7. Վերջնական որոշում կայացրած մեր հայրենակիցներին մանրամասն ներկայացնել իրավիճակը ՀՀ-ում (սոցիալ-տնտեսական,ռազմական)։
8. Տեղափոխված ընտանիքների համար ստեղծել կենտրոն, որը կզբաղվի նրանց ադապտացիոն շրջանի խնդիրների բացահայտմամբ և լուծմամբ։
9. Ծրագիրի կատարման համար սահմանել 2-ից 2.5 տարի ժամկետ։
