Our priorities: The Diaspora must be utilized as a strategic lever
The cornerstone of our priorities is the appropriate acknowledgment of the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity, which is incomplete and meaningless if the Diaspora is not viewed as a strategic lever and factor. Therefore, it is necessary not to view diaspora as a self-contained entity, but to acknowledge and strengthen its strategic significance and potential, moving away from the current harmful and ineffective approach of relegating the Diaspora’s role to that of an appendage.
The history of diasporas worldwide can be divided into two parts: one emerging due to the loss of the homeland, and the other due to leaving the homeland. While the number of diasporans leaving Armenia has increased since independence, by and large, the Armenian Diaspora emerged from the Genocide and the loss of Western Armenia. Ignoring this fact has given way to the false claim that there is no pan-Diasporan agenda.
Since its inception, the Diaspora has not only shaped its agenda but, despite lacking an independent homeland, has effectively pursued pan-Diasporan structures. Therefore, the Diaspora has both an agenda and representative structures. All political, cultural, charitable, youth, church and other organizations with a pan-Armenian dimension are representatives of the Diaspora that formed from the loss of the homeland.
These structures were founded, reformed, expanded and operated in response to the demands of the time and by assuming a specific mission—and they continue to do so. Local groups that originated in different diasporan locations may have some role in their communities, but they cannot be considered a part of the agenda-setting Diaspora that emerged as a result of the loss of the homeland. Nor can they be seen as units contributing significantly to independent Armenia, if we perceive the Diaspora as a strategic lever.
Naturally, the re-emergence of an independent state could not help but influence the Diaspora’s agenda. However, this influence could have served as a catalyst only if the Diaspora had not been treated as a mere appendage for years but recognized as a complementary and strategic force.
In the current situation, successive Armenian governments—to varying degrees—have played a role, as has the Diaspora. To underscore its strategic importance, the Diaspora should have integrated the liberation of Artsakh and the strengthening of an independent Armenia into its pan-Diasporan agenda, treating them as foundational steps and transitional stages toward the ultimate goals of securing the inalienable rights of the Armenian people and realizing a complete Armenia. Moreover, the Diaspora must continue modernizing its organizational structures, practices and vision to align with evolving realities. It must not regard Armenia’s independence as the final achievement of its national aspirations.
This is why, today, strengthening the strategic significance and potential of the Diaspora—not as an end in itself, but as a vital force—is paramount for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Transforming this broad strategic imperative into a concrete and actionable program requires thorough discussion and careful analysis, particularly given that the short-sighted policies of recent years have fostered a range of divergent opinions and approaches.
We must neither shy away from nor fear the expression of bold and unconventional ideas, if we are genuinely committed to forging a re-politicized and revitalized Diaspora with strategic strength to serve as a lever for Armenia. At the same time, for discussions to be healthy and productive, we must avoid presenting one’s perspective as the absolute truth. Moreover, if the current authorities of Armenia prove incapable of this vision, the future leadership must recognize that the Diaspora cannot be treated as an appendage to achieve narrow political interests. Instead, it must be embraced as a strategic partner—an essential pillar of the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity—working together to fulfill national priorities.
This article was originally published in Western Armenian in Asbarez. Ara Nazarian translated it for the Armenian Weekly.
Khajag Mgrdichian
