In Sight
‘Just the Two of Us’: Armenia and the Diaspora
As we close the chapter of another month of commemoration, activism, lobbying and remembrance on the Armenian Genocide, I am reminded of a vital element in our journey: the relationship of the Armenian Diaspora and the Republic of Armenia. At face value, one might consider it a natural connection—two mutually dependent branches of the greater Armenian nation. The former was essentially born out of the despair of the Genocide. The latter also dealt with the effects of Genocide, but went on to endure a very different, culturally transformative fate in the Soviet Union.
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Thank you for this profound article!
Great article! I felt as if I wrote it based on my 32 years of volunteer work in Armenia donating my time and services in the medical field. Yes, we have entered a new, more hopeful phase in our history that we must recognize, accept and cherish.
As an American Armenian who’s been living in France for 27 years, I am reading this article in Yerevan. I have been in Armenia for the last week and delight in letting people here know my origins. I make it a point to tell them how happy I am to be here and to be meeting them. A heartfelt smile and my baby Armenian go a long way in creating a connection, even if it’s for just a moment. Armenians here continue to have significant challenges and are rising to the occasion with the energy, resilience, faith, hard work, courage and heart that distinguish our people around the globe. Today, the world is divided in so many ways. We Armenians have a beautiful opportunity to come together and, as Stepan Piligian writes, rejoice in what we have in common, which is stronger and greater than our superficial differences. Vive l’Arménie !