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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the official opening of the first working day of the third Global Armenian Summit at the Meridian Exhibition and Events Centre.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Pashinyan welcomed the summit participants and presented the ideology of Real Armenia, stressing that it is about the state.
“The ideology of Real Armenia is about the state being the most important thing we can have as a people. Nothing is more important than the state, and all our efforts, actions, goals and ideas are, and must be, connected to the state — the Republic of Armenia — its interests and the vision of its enduring existence.”
Pashinyan outlined that vision: the state must be developed into an instrument of security, prosperity and freedom for its citizens, to be passed down from generation to generation.
Addressing criticism of the ideology, the prime minister stressed:
“We always listen to that criticism and try to respond to it, considering it an important test for the ideology of Real Armenia itself. If the ideology is ready and able to answer questions, that means it is viable. But if there are questions it cannot answer, and those questions do not take shape or become clearly formulated in the near future, that means there is some problem with the ideology’s viability.”
Responding to criticism that the ideology aims to distort Armenian identity, Pashinyan said:
“We not only disagree with that characterisation; on the contrary, we are convinced that the ideology of Real Armenia is precisely about protecting, preserving and developing our identity. The ideology of Real Armenia states that our state is our identity and, conversely, our identity is our state.”
The prime minister said Armenians should perceive their state as their homeland and regard their homeland as their state. He described this as the best model to guide them towards the best possible state. He said the ideology of Real Armenia rests on the Republic of Armenia’s internationally recognised territory of 29,743 square kilometres.
Concluding his remarks, Pashinyan addressed what the Republic of Armenia could offer the diaspora.
“The Republic of Armenia can offer the diaspora only one thing: itself. The Republic of Armenia offers itself to the diaspora as a homeland that is a state, with all its attributes. That homeland offers the diaspora love, but also respect; respect, but also love. This is why we say that citizens must love their homeland, citizens must love the state, and the state must love its citizens.
“Today, the Republic of Armenia is redefining its relations with the diaspora, and I am pleased to note that in recent years we have established, and are continuing to build, a new institution: we have the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. As you know, we also already have more than a dozen commissioners for diaspora affairs in communities. We see their role as representing the Republic of Armenia in relations with the diaspora and bringing the diaspora’s messages to the Republic of Armenia. I am convinced that this is the system that accurately reflects the relationship between homeland and state. Welcome to the Republic of Armenia.”
The prime minister also answered questions from those present.
Organised by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, the summit is taking place from 5 to 8 November and brings together 800 participants: 600 from the diaspora and 200 from Armenia. It aims to discuss key issues on the Armenia–diaspora agenda, expand multifaceted cooperation between Armenia and the diaspora, involve diaspora expertise and resources in Armenia’s development, and create new opportunities for cooperation in line with Armenia’s national priorities.
The four-day summit’s programme includes panel discussions, round-table and circular discussions, the Global Armenian Expo and talks covering democracy, security, education, science, artificial intelligence, investment, philanthropy, culture and several other fields.