Hranush Hakobyan stressed the importance of defining the term “Diaspora” in UN level

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, ARMENPRESS: On the invitation of Director General of International organization for migration William Lacy Swing Minister of Diaspora of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan on June 18-19 takes part in Geneva in the conference of ministers of Diaspora in framework of “International dialogue on migration”.

“Armenpress” reports that Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan reverberated to the importance of relations between Diaspora an motherland as well as to expansion of the Diaspora in the political, economic, cultural and other fields of motherland and living country. “We accept that Diaspora is a nowadays phenomenon and it is not simply a gathering of people with common history. Diaspora has great potential in the given country and all over the world and I hope that this conference will be a starting point for solution of issues concerning diaspora in international level,” mentioned Armenian minister of Diaspora.

She stressed the importance of defining the term “Diaspora” in level of UN. The minister suggested forming a working group highlighting the necessity of issuing declaration or convention on rights of Diasporas.

The Minister also spoke about Armenian Genocide, historic memory as well as about continuing struggle for historic justice calling international society recognize and condemn the crime against Armenians which is also a crime against humanity. “Today because of political instability in Syria Armenians of that country have to leave their houses and again become refugees. I call the whole international society to put the end of aggression and violence, implement necessary steps for settlement of the conflict and establishment of the stability in order to prevent human tragedies in future,” mentioned Hranush Hakobyan.

On May 26, 2011 in Yerevan on the initiative Of Ministry of Diaspora was organized international two day lasting conference “Prospects of Diaspora in global world”, in which took part representatives of 12 countries which have Diaspora – Armenia, Hungary, China, Greece, Austria, Argentina, Italy, India, Poland, France, Romania and Lebanon. During the conference issues relating to development of State-Diaspora relations were discussed.