Hrair Aguilian from Aleppo, Syria repatriated in 2012 with his wife when there seemed no end to the Syrian civil war. Besides the war, he chose Armenia to establish a more peaceful and comfortable life for him and his family. 

His first few years in Armenia, Hrair helped fund the construction of three, 16-story buildings in the district of Davtashen, where 244 families currently live and 75% of the residents are Diaspora Armenian. Over the years, he’s also done a great job of selling Armenia to his close friends in the Diaspora, and they, too, have moved here. 

Although, his repatriation journey didn’t come without challenges. Hrair had to adapt to a new way of conducting business and an entirely new system of life, as well as adjusting to language barriers. As he says it, he also began to understand that this was not his Armenian community back in Syria anymore, but an actual country where all Armenians can live amongst each other. “For us in the Diaspora, there’s a huge pressure to preserve Armenian-ness, be active in the community, and most of all, for the natives of the foreign country to respect you as an Armenian. Here, it’s Armenia, we don’t have those same pressures.” 

Hrair believes that the Diaspora is the Armenian people’s greatest strength. “As a nation, we resemble a rock. Many things, difficulties come and go like water. A drop of water that lands on the rock leaves a mark, but doesn’t break it.” Every country encounters difficulties, which is why he thinks those who choose to move to Armenia should come without expectations. 

When asked why Diaspora Armenians should consider repatriation, he says “It’s Armenia, no one can tell me to go back to my country, I’m already here.”

Hrair Aguilian is the new owner of Laziz fast food restaurant in central Yerevan and is in the midst of renovating the space.