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Declaration of the
Second Armenia-Diaspora Conference
May 27-28, 2002
Yerevan, Armenia

We, the representatives of all the segments of the Armenian people, today in Yerevan, the capital of the Republic of Armenia, discussed together the pan-national priorities and challenges which face Armenians under the current historical, geopolitical realities and outlined the ways and means of solving them through a common effort.

The Second Conference is the continuation of the process entered upon during the first conference in September, 1999, whose principles were affirmed and laid down in the Conference declaration.

The second Conference has noted that in the period since, Armenia-Diaspora relations and interaction have proceeded and developed in line with the principles and spirit of that Declaration.

Today, particularly after the tragic events of September 11 in the United States, new shifts and developments are taking place in the world that are of relevance to the vital interests of Armenia, Artsakh and the entire Diaspora and Armenians cannot remain indifferent to these new challenges.

We have a unified history, common goals and problems, priorities specific to the Armenian community as a whole and to each of its segments, and only through our collective unity, and the accumulation and convergence of our human and material potential, can we solve the problems before us.

Armenians have had ups and downs during the whole period of their history, have seen victories and suffered defeats, and in the face of all calamities and hurdles have made their own contribution to world civilization while at the same time preserving their cultural and national identity.

We are all the bearers of Armenian civilization and its values, and history has placed on our shoulders the heavy responsibility of preserving and developing them today.

At the beginning of the 20th century, our nation suffered a terrible blow when Ottoman Turkey planned and executed the first Genocide in modern history, annihilating more that 1.5 million Armenians, laying waste to material and spiritual-cultural values created by Armenians in their own cradles in Western Armenia through the ages.

The beginning of the century was also a period of victory. Our nation stood firm against the policy of annihilation of Armenians, and under unequal conditions, resorted to self-defense, and through heroic battles, on May 28, 1918, forged independent Armenian statehood for these new times – the First Armenian Republic.

However, the situation soon became desperate when in 1920 as a result of a new Turkish assault, the First Armenian Republic was partitioned, the devastating consequences of which are still borne by the people and land of Armenia.

Overcoming the consequences of the Genocide and the various obstacles facing our nation, during the Soviet period, in the absence of the conditions of independent statehood, our nation not only maintained but was able to advance education and culture, and the pinnacle of the century’s closing became today’s independent and sovereign Republic of Armenia.

Today, securing the preservation, strengthening and advancement of our state is the sacred goal and duty of all Armenians around the world, its strengthening is everyone’s mission and inarguable priority, as a lever, main means and opportunity for the resolution of our vital issues.

Under the slogan “Armenia is the homeland of All Armenians” serving the rise of Armenian statehood should become the main calling for every Armenian. Every Armenian should be guided by a readiness to bring his/her unreserved participation to the National Revival, in order to enable us to secure the survival, progress and development of Armenia and Armenians.

Now, under the conditions of independent statehood, Armenia-Diasphora relations and cooperation assume a qualitatively new approaches and levels and new responsibilities.

Armenians cannot be viewed as “aliens” in their motherland, and the Republic of Armenia has set out to overcome the consitutional barrier to dual citizenship, thus enabling every Armenian to establish a full-fledged presence in his/her motherland.

The Republic of Armenia, as a state, is committed with all its capacity, to provide the necessary conditions that offer every Armenian the chance to participate fully in the process of state-building, in its consolidation and development.

The Diaspora should link its identity and dignity not only to national belonging and to the past, but also to the existence of the state, to its advantages, to a responsibility towards it, and by participating directly in Armenia’s overall advancement, by combining business interests and fulfilling moral obligations.

In our modern history, our people’s greatest achievement has been the liberation of Artsakh, where the Armenian people displayed its unbending will towards its historic and just rights and it became vivid evidence of Armenian national unity, togetherness and resolve.

Today we once again reaffirm our total responsibility and all-encompassing support to the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, borne of the heroic struggle of our people, and to their right to live free and to practice self-determination regarding their demands.

We reconfirm also our readiness to create the required conditions to resolve the social-economic problems of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh, to raise the level of prosperity of the people of Artsakh and to meet fully their material and spiritual needs, as well as to guarantee its safe and secure existence.

After the independence of Armenia, the Diaspora found itself facing new realities and when the newly independent Republic found itself with heavy experiences and menacing challenges, extended and continues to extend unprecedented material, political, moral support.

At the same time, it faces the same traditional problems, of which the main one is the preservation and propagation of national character, traditions, culture and identity under the differing political and cultural conditions which exist in different host countries around the world.

The conference reconfirms its resolve to attain international recognition of the Armenian Genocide in every country around the world. The conference welcomes all the efforts of just-minded friends of the Armenian people in capitals around the world which is proof of the growing commitment of the international community to the issue of Genocide.

All the segments of our collective whole are closely linked and the resolution of our problems is conditioned by concerted and unified national cooperation, with the adoption of such standards and principles of action, the display of such a high level of organization that our progress and development would be secured for us, and would turn into a source of strength and power.

We are convinced that democratic principles and human rights and freedom are of priority significance in the functioning of state and community structures in the homeland and in the Diaspora.

Peace, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation among peoples, the right of human beings and nations to live and develop freely, freedom of conscience and religion are fundamental values for us.

We resolutely condemn terrorism as a dangerous evil for mankind.

We are ready to henceforth, too, organize the functioning of our state, national and local institutions and structures in accordance with democratic principles, providing the necessary conditions for their members to fully express their capabilities.

We stress the utmost responsibility and role of the Republic of Armenia, in gathering Armenians together, and its commitment to provide opportunities and conditions to secure each Armenian’s full participation in bringing finding solutions to pan-national problems.

We are committed and persistent in the defense of our national rights and interests, in the bolstering of harmony and solidarity, in realizing through collective unity our problems, desires and dreams, for the glory of the Armenian people’s secure, safe development and prosperity.

Yerevan, 28 May 2002.