I am a Diaspora Armenian born and raised in California, the daughter of genocide survivors, a physician and biotech expert who has volunteered in Armenia for multiple years in health-related areas.My comments come from the perspective of someone who has tried to be helpful, but who encountered multiple barriers.My suggestions below are cross-cutting and address multiple goals.1)Create a Diaspora-Armenia Innovation and Business Park/Centera.Such an entity would not only attract many more diaspora Armenians to open businesses in Armenia, but it would also create jobs and potentially an economic boom for the country. Jobs would be needed to support all the activities noted below, to support the new businesses and to support the increased number of people engaged in business activities (down-stream impact on restaurants, stores, services etc)b.This would be both a physical brick and mortar office park and a virtual office park whose mission is to make it easy to start a business and that overcomes well-known barriers (corruption, complicated laws and regulations, socio-cultural issues, and so forth). Locations would be in Yerevan and ideally one in each Marz.c.Provide business support services and education to diaspora Armenians, essentially create a business start-up tool-kitd.Provide human resources services to help with hiring and employee management.e.Provide practical educational services such as language classes (Eastern Armenian, Western Armenian, Russian, English, French), legal requirements and responsibilities in Armenia, how to set up vendor and contractor contracts in Armenia, socio-political topics, market research topics and so forth. Essentially anything that a diaspora businessperson would need to know to successfully open and manage a business in Armenia.f.Access to trustworthy, honest, high quality business support service providers that are fully vetted (e.g. attorneys, accountants, IT experts) g.Training programs for Armenia citizens to give them the skills needed by the new businesses (this could be a separate entity that contracts with the Innovation and Business Park/Centerh.Access to a variety of physical office spaces that can be rented or purchased.i.Access to executive apartments (long term and short-term rentals) that meet western standards of quality.j.Provide security solutions to businesses to prevent damage and theft (physical and digital).k.Liaison to government authorities to ensure government is able to address diaspora business people’s needs (e.g. 2)Develop in-country Armenia expertise in Eurasia Economic Union capabilitiesa.Given that as of this month all pharmaceutical and biotech approvals must now go through the EAEU and which gives any product approved in one country full reciprocity/approval in all EAEU countries, there is an opportunity for Armenia to be a preferred country in which companies conduct business to gain product registration.
b.Create businesses that provide pharma and biotech companies with the services needed to complete their product registration applications and to maintain their approvals/registrations. Become a one stop shop for these companies. Services would include legal and regulatory affairs experts, writers, translators (all documents must be in Russian), IT support and so forth.c.This could create many well-paying jobs for Armenians.d.This could establish Armenia as the “go to” country for businesses wishing to expand to EAEU countries. Given that Armenia is the most internationally facing of the EAEU countries, this is a logical role for Armenia. e.This will make Armenia indispensable to the EAEU success by attracting more businesses to the EAEU.f.Once this is accomplished for pharma/biotech, the same concept can be applied to other areas.3)Create a Diaspora-Armenia Healthcare Education and Capabilities Institutea.Improvement in the quality of healthcare in Armenia is critical to attracting people to emigrate and to attracting international businesses to open offices in Armenia. No one wants to be in a country for extended periods of time unless there is high quality medical care.b.There is a glut of doctors in Armenia but very few are well trained. On the other hand,there is shortage of nurses and cultural disparagement of the nursing profession (because they compete with doctors). c.The Institute could work to fix this long-term problem and shift the healthcare culture to one of high quality, high standards, accountability and collaboration across specialties and professions.d.This would include mentoring programs with top medical experts throughout the world, exchange programs, continuingmedical education programs and so forth.e.This would include working with the Republic of Armenia government to update regulations and laws to support a system that can provide high quality medical care and that can rout out corruption.f.This would include working closely with existing educational institutions in Armenia (YSMU, AUA, etc).g.Become an avenue for Armenia healthcare professionals to gain access to technical training, information, tech support.h.To become a think tank to problem-solve Armenia’s many healthcare challenges.4)Create a Diaspora-Armenia International Affairs Institutea.Similar in concept to #3 above (Healthcare) except for International and Foreign Affairsb.This would haveavery strong strategic component that included techniques for anticipating response options for different scenarios and game-out thesescenarios.c.Couldbe an avenue for collaboration with other international affairs think tanks of global acclaim.d.A means by which to set a higher standard and higher bar for Armenian foreign affairs which will becritical to survival of theRepublic of Armenia.e.A conduit to creating relationships with other countries that will enablethose countries to be motivated to support a strong and independent and flourishing Armenia.5)Develop a Diaspora-Armenia Philanthropy Societya.Create an NGO that supports NGOs.b.One thing that was clear during the 44-day War was that the ability of the government to provide humanitarian services or even to request humanitarian assistance or to know
which humanitarian organization were available to help completely collapsed in part because there was a lack of management of NGOs. This cannot happen again.c.There is also no strategic or operational coordination of NGOs.d.Armenia and NGOs working to help the people of Armenia would benefit from establishment of such a society.e.The Republic of Armenia would need to “bless” such an endeavor and agree to work and cooperate with this endeavor.f.Similar in concept to #1 above (diaspora business park/center); in fact,some functions could be shared between #1 and #5 (e.g. educational and training services)g.NGOs play a critical role in Armenia and should be part of any emergency response strategy.
Susan J., Armenia
Соавтор инициативы
In my opinion the best way to unite the diaspora and particularly the younger diaspora is to connect them physically through amazing events and experiences and with purpose. This logically makes sense before trying to unite through purpose alone. Through travel events throughout the world disparate members of our culture come together for fun, unity, and entertainment, and at a cost lower than a regular vacation while supporting Armenian business and causes. It is gaining momentum with millennials and gen z and I would like to share progress and combine efforts if it supports your goal #5, to: Transform the relationship between Armenia and the Diaspora into one based on mutualism and trust.
Rob B., USA
Соавтор инициативы
Հայկական պետականության հանդեպ պատասխանատվություն ունենալը հային հայ է պահում։
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
Соавтор инициативы
I was born abroad, and I am the 4th generation to be born there, but the first language I spoke was Armenian. In other cities of my country, the communities are well organized, the children want to go to school, the camps are organized, but if Armenia has to do something, it should be done through "soft power," in the form of fairy tale books and materials. They should exist and be spread.
Convention Participant
Այս տիպի միջոցառումները շատ լավ գաղափար են, օրինակ, Հայաստան-Սփյուռք չընդհատվող կապի համար։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
Սյունիքում արևային էներգետիկան շատ թույլ է, չնայած ունի մեծ պոտենցիալ աշխարհագրական դիրքից ելնելով:
Հարց առաջարկ՝
Հնարավո՞ր է արդյոք արևային էներգիայի համակարգերը տեղադրել լիզինգային մեթոդով շահառուի հետ կնքելով համապատասխան պայմանագիր։ Այս մեթոդով շահառուները ստիպված չեն լինի մեծ գումար ներդնելու արևային համակարգեր տեղադրելու համար, իսկ ավելացած էներգիան կարելի է վաճառել ՀԷՑ-ին։ Ներքին շուկայում կնվազի ՀԷԿ, ՋԷԿ և այլ էներգիա արտադրող կառույցներից պահանջարկը և զուգահեռաբար կավելանա արտահանման ծավալը, որը կարող ենք նաև փոխանակել Իրանի Իսլամիստական Հանրապետության հետ բնական գազով։
Արամ Գ․, Հայաստան
Соавтор инициативы
Ցեղասպանության ճանաչման գործընթացը ոչ թե մեկ օրյա Ապրիլի 24-ի միջոցառում պիտի լինի, այլ ամենօրյա աշխատանք սփյուռքում՝ տեղեկության տարածման, տարբեր միջոցառումների ու ծրագրերի իրականացման միջոցով։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
Everyone from the Diaspora and Armenia should become the PR ambassador of Armenia to the world.
Convention Participant
I hope the future of Armenia includes women; its success depends on inclusiveness.
There are countless women that are contributing to Armenia. Often, they work quietly and in the background. That does not mean that they do not have a vision or a strategy, it just means we as a community are not highlighting their voices.
Yelena A., USA
Соавтор инициативы
Սփյուռքում ապրող յուրաքանչյուր հայ իրեն պետք է համարի Հայաստանի մշակութային դեսպանը։
Համաժողովի մասնակից
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
