Ministry of Foreign Affairs *  Public Affairs Department

June 21, 2002
Press Release


Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Information Desk
Fax: (374-1) 523531
info@armeniaForeignMinistry.com
http://www.ArmeniaForeignMinistry.am


Following Armenia-Diaspora Conference, Commissions Being Formed

Nearly three weeks after the conclusion of the Second Armenia Diaspora
Conference, work has begun to form standing commissions for each of the main
sectors of Armenia Diaspora involvement that had been covered by the
Conference: Armenia-Diaspora relations and structural issues; Political
relations and advocacy; Education, Culture, Science; Economic & Social
Development; Information & Media. Representatives of Armenian organizations
will join experts and professionals from Armenia and Diaspora to oversee
projects, programs and proposals within each sector.

On May 27 and 28, nearly 3,000 participants from Armenia and 48 countries of
the Diaspora attended the Second Armenia Diaspora Conference in Yerevan.
Participants spent two days attending two plenary sessions and had a choice
among 16 different panel discussions covering the themes mentioned above.
The panelists were selected from Armenia, the Diaspora, and among the
Diasporan re-pat community in Armenia.

Participants witnessed first hand the excitement, anticipation, fulfillment
and frustrations that are an inevitable part of such a large gathering. They
also sensed the huge potential of Armenia and Diaspora working together.

At the conclusion of the conference, participants adopted seven specific
proposals for joint implementation; as well as a declaration expressing the
spirit and will of the conference participants.

As follow-up to the Conference, by the end of July, each of the dozen major
international Armenian organizations (whose representatives spoke at the
Conference’s Opening Plenary Session) will nominate one candidate to
participate in each of the commissions, and names of experts (as well as
representatives from Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh) will be added to those
proposed by these organizations before the make-up of the permanent
commissions are  announced.

In addition, each of the seven projects which were adopted will also be
executed by an implementation unit that will work jointly with these
commissions.

All proposals and suggestions which were presented before, during and after
the conference are being posted on www.armeniadiaspora.com
<http://www.armeniadiaspora.com/> , together with all all speeches and panel
presentations. Additional proposals, comments, suggestions are welcome. Each
sector will have a moderated  forum where projects, proposals can be
discussed, examined, evaluated, and those who are charged with
implementation can work together, even from a distance.

www.armeniadiaspora.com, which is already one of the busiest web sites in
the Armenian world, will continue to be the main conduit for ideas,
suggestions, proposals, discussions  and implementation. As a result,
experts, specialists, busy professionals are welcome to join in or depart at
any point, contributing what time and skills they wish.