The second Armenia Diaspora Conference will take place in Yerevan, May 27-28, 2002. As with the first Armenia Diaspora Conference which took place in September, 1999, it is expected that more than a thousand Armenians from Armenia and 50 other countries will participate in this gathering intended to bring together the resources of Armenia and the Diaspora. Armenia’s, Karabakh’s and the Diaspora’s political and clerical hierarchy will address the participants. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the body responsible for the organization of the conference. Vartan Oskanian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, responds to questions about the purpose, content and format of the Conference.

What are your expectations of this conference?

We are looking forward to this conference being the natural continuation of what we began together in September 1999. Tragically, the assassinations of October 1999 threw many things off course, among them, the activities of this conference which had resulted in the very warm, congenial, serious joining of forces among the various Diaspora communities and groupings, and between them and the establishment in Armenia. We are hoping this second Diaspora Conference will pick up where we left off in 1999.

Second, we are intent on making this second gathering a more practical, goal-oriented one. Specific content areas will be studied in depth in the months leading up to the conference, and during the two days of the conference itself. We expect that attendees will come to some agreement on certain projects which can be further explored or implemented jointly immediately following the conference.

Third, we are also looking to this conference to do what the first conference left undone – that is, begin to create the mechanisms which will make possible a combined approach to prioritizing the serious issues and challenges which confront us collectively, and which will lead to a search for their resolution.

Fourth, these conferences should be seen as opportunities for both Armenia and Diaspora to more fundamentally assess and understand each other. If Armenia wants and expects the Diaspora’s participation in its state-building process, then we need to take into account their issues and needs. If the Diaspora anticipates that Armenia will or should develop in certain ways, then it needs to study closely and understand Armenia’s capabilities, and the thoughts and perspectives of Armenia’s people. This conference is an effort in that direction – to give everyone an opportunity to speak aloud about those issues which concern all of us. This is both a chance to broach new horizons, and to dig into causes and sources of problems and disappointments.

Finally, for the Diaspora, the organizational process leading up to these conferences will become the catalyst for changes and re-organization in Diaspora structures. The Diaspora has not had, for various reasons, clear representational systems. That leads to difficulties when Armenia and Armenia’s institutions attempt to interact with Diaspora communities and institutions. Whom would the President call if he wanted to call the Diaspora? This is apparent as both Armenia and Diaspora try to determine attendance parameters for this conference, for example.

So, this conference will differ from the first one?

Yes, it will differ in form and content. The 1999 conference, being the first one, needed to be more theoretical, general, with more questions raised than answered, where an effort was made to create the right environment for tackling problems, rather than attacking the problems themselves. This second conference will definitely be more focused, with various sectors more directly examined, with one or two or more projects -- of specific interest to either Armenia or Diaspora or both -- formally adopted for follow-through and implementation.
All attendees will not spend the entire two-day period in plenary sessions. This year, most of the time will be allocated to smaller, simultaneous sessions covering specific topics.

What are those specific areas on which this conference will focus?

There are five broad categories: Business and economy; Science, culture and education; Information and media; Political relations and advocacy; Organizational/structural development.

Why these areas?

These were the areas of interest identified by the members of the first conference. Because of the assassinations and the subsequent upheaval, the appropriate working groups were never established. This is what I meant when I said this conference is and should be a natural continuation of the first, We believe that it is important to focus this second conference on areas where joint efforts can be efficiently utilized for optimal results. We also want to focus on areas which are of mutual interest to Armenia and the Diaspora. Business and economy is of obvious urgent relevance today. Under this heading, we intend to look at the good and bad in Armenia’s taxation and regulatory environment, Armenia’s marketing and product development needs, the tourism sector – its successes and oversights, investors’ concerns, etc. Under education, we want to give time and space to college students from around the world who need to and want to network, as well as the needs of Armenia’s schools, the regional potential of some of its higher institutions, especially the scientific ones. Concerns about the arts and Armenia-Diaspora cultural exchange, too, is a matter which should be addressed, as well as identifying and targeting those pan-Armenian significant celebrations which can have an impact on Diaspora life, and Armenia’s cultural and economic development. Under information and media, we will have experts and participants in those fields discuss the needs of the professionals, as well as the needs of the consumers, that is, the Armenians of Armenia and Diaspora, and their information needs. Political relations and advocacy will include discussions about aspects of Armenia’s foreign policy, which of them are priority concerns in the immediate future, and analyzing our capacities for tackling them. Finally, under organizational/structural development we will address the essential, fundamental, theoretical issues affecting Diaspora-Armenia structural and organizational relations. What is a Diasporan? Does the Diaspora need formal structures? How have other homeland-diaspora relations developed? How do we work towards the creation of a pan-Armenian body to coordinate the processes of communication, assistance, exchange? These are the kinds of issues which concern us all, and that is why these areas of discussion have been chosen.

How will the conference be organized to tackle such a broad range of topics?

The first conference was one long plenary session, with one break-out session allotted to specific topics. During this second conference, the format will be the exact opposite. The opening and closing sessions will be plenary, with the remainder of the time allotted to more than 20 individual sessions, where panels of experts will address a variety of topics, like some of those I’ve already mentioned, and where one, two or more projects -- of specific interest to either Armenia or Diaspora or both – will be formally adopted for follow-through and implementation.

Who will be allowed to participate?

Essentially, anyone who wants to. First, we will invite each Diaspora community to select and send as representative a delegation as possible, just like last time. In fact, we believe that one of the direct benefits of these conferences and this method of participation is that Diaspora units will have to work together to create a common representative delegation. Those invitations to communities and organizations are in the process of being sent out. In addition to these delegations, we will invite specialists and key individuals. Finally, those who wish to be present at the conference may attend by registering and indicating their area of interest. We are striving for a broad participation base, firmly believing that those who want to be there should be allowed to come. After all, it is in everyone’s best interests that the Diaspora be as inclusive as possible.

What avenues exist for individuals or organizations to make suggestions or proposals to the conference planning commission?

During the pre-conference period, there will be public and private meetings in various Diaspora communities and in Armenia, too. Our embassies will also be involved in this outreach effort. Information about the conference and pre-conference planning activities will be readily available through community newspapers and on our website www.armeniadiaspora.com which was created immediately following the first Diaspora Conference. In addition, by email, or by fax, we are prepared to read and respond to all suggestions. Not all suggestions may be incorporated or implemented obviously, but they will all be considered. It is important to remember that this conference is just the second in a series, and the conference is a means of establishing and encouraging communication and cooperation. Suggestions, proposals, contacts made before and during the conference will be maintained and enhanced following the conference as well.

What other events are planned in conjunction with the conference?

Immediately preceding the conference, the Armenia Fund (Hayastan All-Armenia fund) will be holding its regular Board of Directors meeting, and celebrating its 10th anniversary. May 28, of course, is also the Day of the First Republic. Cultural events will be planned throughout that week, and in addition, special activities, meetings and tours for Diaspora conference attendees will be available in the days immediately preceding the conference. In other words, we hope that the combined experience of the conference and the related events will be so strong and effective that the Armenia-Diaspora bonds will become even healthier and more productive. After all, the purpose of these gatherings is to create the environment whereby we can understand each other better, more realistically comprehend each other’s needs and actions, and together create that which we all want and deserve – a secure, prosperous state with a healthy, vibrant, active Diaspora.