It must always be about the people, not the politicians

For many of us in the diaspora, our relationship with Armenia has been limited to popular sites or political personalities. We can identify with terms like “Etchmiadzin” or “Khor Virap” and with names such as Pashinyan or Sargsyan. Our somewhat aloof relationship is defined by our perceptions of what we read or hear of these popular phases. It is truly amazing how we draw opinions from such a narrow scope of information. The digital age has offered a partial solution with many internet-based news sources from a variety of perspectives, but you still need to invest the time to work through the maze of disinformation. For someone from the diaspora, what should be the source of our perception of Armenia and Artsakh? Is it enough to simply gain an appreciation of our vast historical treasures? Should we build our relationship based on a cursory knowledge of key politicians and the political environment? I don’t think so. A homeland and its citizens complete our identity as Armenians. At the end of the day, Armenia’s greatest asset is its people.