On September 22, the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs launched the fifth edition of the Diaspora Youth Ambassador program in Yerevan.

The program aims to give young Armenians from the Diaspora the opportunity to broaden their understanding of Armenia’s political, social, economic, and cultural issues; to support their deeper engagement in community life while increasing the effectiveness of their involvement through new knowledge, skills, professional connections, and experience sharing; and to foster cooperation between youth in Armenia and various Diaspora communities.

This year, 27 young Armenians from 14 countries are taking part in the program, representing France, Germany, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Romania, the Netherlands, Georgia, Iran, China, Estonia, and Canada.

The opening ceremony featured welcoming remarks from Mushegh Ghukasyan, Chief of Staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Lilit Khachatryan, Program Manager of the Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program, and Hovhannes Aleksanyan, Head of the Repatriation and Integration Center.

As part of this year’s program, the Office will begin a new collaboration with two alumni from last year’s French cohort — Silva Sahakian and Bedros Astourian. Silva Sahakian also addressed the audience during the opening ceremony.

Over the course of 13 days in Armenia, participants will follow a specially designed program combining lectures, workshops, meetings, and networking opportunities. They will also visit government institutions, universities, cultural and spiritual centers, memorial sites, and different regions of the country.

After completing the training, each participant will spend the following year carrying out community projects inspired by the program.