The significance of the international diaspora in the return process

The significance of the international diaspora in the return process

In order to understand which role the diaspora plays or could play within the return process, at first it has to be noticed in which context the term “diaspora” is used because for the word “diaspora” until now there is no strict or universal definition.

Sometimes this term is interpreted very diversely. For instance, the diaspora is meant to be a part of the people that is living outside it’s country of origin.

Sometimes, however, the diaspora simply becomes a synonym for migrants or minorities.

In this lecture we will use this term in its most spread interpretation among sociologists today: diaspora (greek:  διασπορά - distraction) as part of a nation (ethnos), which lives outside its country of origin, creating solid and cohering ethnic groups and social institutions for the support and the development of the own identity.

The diaspora plays an essential role in the upkeep of the national culture and in the development of the national conscious. The relationships with the diaspora are for many countries an important direction of foreign politics. For some countries like Israel, Armenia or India, the diaspora plays an important role with its huge political and economical support. Unlike to other countries for Indians, Jews and Armenians, the term ‘diaspora’ with all its complex questions is a part of the national mentality.

The Armenian diaspora (Spürk) exists since Armenia lost its independent state entity in year 1375 after the fall of the Armenian kingdom Kilikia. It contains at the moment about 7 million people. The Armenian diaspora tends towards a dissemination because of the emigration from the traditional residential areas (Armenia, Iran, Lebanon, Syria) to Europe - there: the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Poland, Greece. Many emigrants from Armenia choose the nearby Russia and take it in consideration to return to their home country. Everything depends on the socio economic changes because the majority names as a reason for their migration unemployment, low salaries and social problems. The characteristics of the Armenian diasporas in different times and countries differ between each other in their own characteristic and their position within the community. Therefore, conclusions in this work are not generalized and are limited to diasporas in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands that have a lot in common.

The Armenian diaspora in Germany is one of the youngest in the history of Armenia. Apart from the rare exceptions, like for instance the founding of the Armenian community in Berlin in year 1923, the first social institutions and structures of the Armenian community in Germany were just established in the 70’s of the past century. Although, the Armenian students already came to Germany since 1830 and established their first student’s union in Leipzig in 1885, it is common to structure the history of the Armenian migration to Germany in the following waves and stages:

These are:

- Refugees of the genocide in the time 1915 - 1923

- prisoners of war from the former Soviet Union who stayed in Germany after World War II. (The last camp for prisoners of war was closed in year 1952)

- guest workers from Turkey in the 60’s

- refugees from the revolution in Iran (1978 - 1979) and from the civil war in Lebanon (1975-

1990)

- emigrants and refugees from the collapse of the Soviet Union and the war in Berg-Karabach (1988 - 1995)

- refugees from the civil war in Syria (from 2011)

Over the course of the implementation of our project “RECEA” and because of contacts with the representatives of Armenian communities and organisations of the Armenian diasporas in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, it has come out that different Armenian diasporas have different values in the focus which are often contradictory. In the following also their meanings and role within the returning process are absolutely different.

In order to understand which role these from each other differing diasporas play or could play, we will select and illustrate them on the base of some Armenian organisations.

- Representatives of the ‘old’ Armenian diaspora, emigrants from Turkey and Iran who speak the Persian, Turkish and Western Armenian languages. An organisation of this group, for instance, is the Armenian cultural association Abowjan (Abovian Armenian Cultural Association) in the Netherlands, that leads an active public and cultural life. Representatives of this group also create the heart of the Armenian church communities in Germany.

- Humanitarian, business and artistic intelligence, which unites mainly because of the opportunity of a fuller professional self realisation. This group consists also mainly of representatives of the ‘old’ diaspora. One example for the organisation of this group is the Union of Armenian doctors in Germany e.V. mainly consisting of Iranian emigrants.

- Emigrants from the Armenian Republic and from other countries of the GUS from Soviet and post Soviet times, representatives of the ‘new’ Armenian diaspora, who speak Russian and Eastern Armenian languages and have a citizenship or an unlimited permission of stay in the EU. The biggest part of this group originates from Armenia and has emigrated from GUS countries in times of Perestroika and the Berg-Karabach war. An example for organisations of this group is the Armenian association ARDIA in Belgium. Representatives of this group form the heart of the Armenian worldly communities in Germany.

- Armenian youth and students, who speak German and Western Armenian languages. An example for the organisations of this group is the German Armenian Student club. The biggest part of this club is represented by young people, mostly students from the German universities who came with their parents from the ‘new’ diaspora in the childhood to Germany as well as students who came recently from Armenia.

At the moment there are about 65 Armenian diaspora organisations registered in Germany.

Each of these can be considered among one of the four groups mentioned above. And though the doors of every organisation are open for every Armenian regardless of his origin and language there is a strict separation taking place between the two Armenian diaspora groups, between the ‘old’ and ‘new’ Armenian diaspora. Often there are coming parallel organisations coming into existence, that implement the same tasks. So Armenians visit the ‘old’ and others the ‘new’ diaspora.

To understand the difference between both these diaspora groups and their values and also with it the difference in the role that they play in the return process of the Armenians, we quote an article from the magazine HAYsociety | The Armenian magazin in Germany for the month April 2012, : Diaspora & Return - Saying Goodbye to an Illusion? http://www.hay-society.de

“I see the Armenian diaspora characterised in this way that a return in the lost home country is basically refused and this not as a single fate but as a collective one. Seen that way, however, Armenians from the Republic of Armenia, insofar they are or have been citizens of the Republic, are in the stricter sense not in the Diaspora. When they don’t live in Armenia, they are foreign Armenians. This is because a return is not refused in general…”, and further; “ Reconstructed that way only the Armenians of Western Armenia form the ‘Armenian Diaspora’, and this happens to be independent from it, whether they live in Europe, in America or in current Turkey. Why? Because on the one hand there exists no sovereign state for them, that represents the needed, through modern age just into conscious coming link between state and nation; because on the other hand a sovereign state would be the political appropriate answer to the lost home.”

We won’t analyse the dispute of the above mentioned statement of the editorial staff on the pages of the Armenian magazine concerning the discussion about the possibilities of a return of the Armenians to the home of their ancestors in Turkey. Above all, because not all emigrants from Western Armenia share this view and, for instance, the head of the German Armenian Society (DAG) Raffi Kantian says in an interview from the same magazine that the migration to the Republic of Armenia is seen as a serious alternative. However, this opinion is characteristic for the representative of the “old” diaspora. So they see the emigrants from the soviet and post soviet Armenia and from the GUS countries not as a part of the Armenian diaspora and consider the return or the move into the Republic of Armenia not as a real possibility. The role social institutions of the “old” diaspora play within the return process into the Republic of Armenia thereby is very small or is missing at all. Unlike to the “old” diaspora which thinks that it has no “own” state, the “new” diaspora is “ethno national”. A characteristic feature of such a diaspora is the feeling of having the invisible presence of the ”own” state. “New” Armenian diasporas and their social institutions play a bigger and more active role in the political and social life in the country of establishment. They keep a regular contact with Armenia and the question for the return to the Republic of Armenia always stays up-to-date for the members of these ethno social groups. In this aspect, special emphasis has to be put on the Armenian youth organisations which are most active. The members of these organisations have a European style of thinking, education and working habit. They are not bearing the negative burden of the past, which their parents often have, and think that the change of the politic, economic and social life of the Republic according to the European example is only a question of time. The question towards the return or the move into the republic of Armenia is a topic of permanent discussions among these young people. The role of the youth organisations in the return process of the Armenians to Armenia is exceedingly huge.

A special place in the row of the Armenian organisations in Germany is belonging to the Central Council of Armenians in Germany (ZAD). This council tries to coordinate and to unite the activity of all ethno social Armenian institutions in Germany, apart from their affiliation to the “old” or “new” diaspora and their church, worldly or professional direction. The council tries as well to serve as a link between these organisations and the foreign representation of the Republic of Armenia in Germany. Currently it reckons about 20 Armenian organisations its members. If the Central Council manages to fulfill these goals and to become a linking and coordinating organ for all ethno social groups of the Armenian diasporas in Germany indeed, it will be difficult to underestimate its role in the return process to Armenia.

From the 1st October 2008 in the Republic of Armenia there works a department of the government: the ministry for diaspora. Under the leadership of the president it has to support the relationship Armenia - diaspora in all directions. The return of the Armenians is one of the most important directions in the activity of this ministry. Therefore our analysis can be useful for the elaboration of the right directions in the activity of this ministry for the work with the Armenian diaspora in Germany, without raising claim of universality.

1. Социология: Энциклопедия / Сост. А. А. Грицанов, В. Л. Абушенко, Г. М. Евелькин,

Г. Н. Соколова, О. В. Терещенко. — Мн.: Книжный Дом, 2003

2. GTZ (editor) (2008). The Armenian diaspora in Germany. Its contribution to the development of

Armenia.

3. Тощенко Ж.Т., Чаптыкова Т.И. Диаспора как объект социологического исследования //

Социс. – М, 1996. – №12. – С. 33–42.  

4. Abovian Armenian Cultural Association, Netherlands

http://www.abovian.nl/

5. Union of Armenian doctors in Germany e.V.

http://www.verein-armenischer-mediziner.de

6. German Armenian Student’s club

http://www.haiknet.de/

7. HAYsociety | The Armenian magazine in Germany, April 2012, Diaspora & return –

Saying goodbye to an illusion ?

http://www.hay-society.de

8.German Armenian Society (DAG)

http://www.deutsch-armenische-gesellschaft.de/

9. Тамара Кондратьева Диаспоры в современном мире: эволюция явления и понятия.

http://www.perspektivy.info/print.php?ID=48886

10. Шеффер Г. Диаспоры в мировой политике // Диаспоры. – М., 2003. – №1. – С. 162–184.

11. Central Council of Armenians in Germany (ZAD)

http://www.zentralrat.org/

12. Сайт президента РА. Армянская Диаспора

http://www.president.am/ru/diaspora/

Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan

Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan

Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) is a higher education institution founded in Yerevan, Armenia in 1922. Nowadays, the number of students at the University exceeds 14,000. As one of the oldest traditional educational institutions in Armenia, the ASPU is nowadays considered as one of the most progressive universities of the country, both due to some recent educational reforms, as well as its many active international cooperations. The University displays a productive educational and scientific process, based on the constant expansion of international relations due to the cooperation with different universities. These transnational exchange programs are not limited to other HEIs in the former USSR countries, but also the leading foreign universities further abroad. The ASPU cooperates with European institutions, resulting in the revised and reformed educational structure conforming to European educational standards. The ASPU implements various programs for the exchange of both students and teachers, takes part in joint international projects and organizes international conferences, seminars, forums. The ASPU is the leading university in the country that prepares competent and qualified teachers and educators in secondary schools. The University implements a three tier system of education (undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate) for 52 different specializations as well as different effective teaching and learning technologies. The university has qualified academic staff and is equipped with modernized equipment and technological devices.

The main divisions of the University are its faculties, departments and research institutes, the scientific library, a science museum , the house museum named after Khachatur Abovyan, departments and offices, internal services providers, a high school, the college, as well as severla scientific and educational centers:

• Research Center for Armenian and world history, historiography and source studies.
• Research Centre for Theoretical Philosophy, Logic and Philosophy of Science.
• Research Centre of Arts, Cultural Studies, Armenian miniatures, history and theory of Armenian and medieval art.

The International Cooperation Division implements and coordinates transnational cooperation programs in accordance with the University's strategic development plans. The Division coordinates the implementation of these strategic objectives, initiate cooperations with foreign universities, develops cooperation programs with relevant structural units and monitors their implementation.
The department provides the membership of the ASPU in numerous organizations and associations, and promotes the mutual exchange with a number of universities and research centers worldwide.

The Armenian migration in Bulgaria

Presentation about the Armenian migration in Bulgaria

The history of the Armenian minority on the Balkans dates back to the 5th century A.D. In this presentation you can learn more about the Armenian diaspora in Bulgaria, facts and figures, the past times and the current situation.

Interested - click here!

Teaching Russian to Returnees

“Teaching Russian to Returnees. Methodology and Difficulties”.

Bella Ayunts

Returnee children and teenagers

In the Russian lessons the communicative method is used. The children perform dialogs, stagings, visualisations (concrete, visual, via Internet). Electronic media are used as well.

Returnees and teenagers:  Grigoryan Anna, Chatyan Levon, Chatyan Ashot, Avetyan Hasmik, Badalyan Elina, Ghevondyan Sergej, Khdryan Vladimir, Khdryan Ani, Eghiazaryan Hermine, Martirosyan Hajkanush, Martirosyan Norajr, Tumasyan Gor, Vardanyan Kima.

Textbooks:: Антонова В.Е., Нахабина М.М., Сафронова М.В., Толстых А.А. Дорога в

Россию, 2008; Миллер Л.В., Политова Л.В., Рыбакова И.Я. Жили-были ... (учебник и

рабочая тетрадь), 2008; Акишина А.А. Русский язык в играх, 2011 (различные игровые

задания, кроссводы, ребусы, шарады); Беляева Г.В., Горская Е.И., Еремина Л.И., Луцкая

Н.Э. Слушайте. Спрашивайте. Отвечайте. Русский язык. Курсы. 2004; Караванова

Н.Б. Читаем и всё понимаем!: Пособие по чтению и развитию речи для иностранцев,

изучающих русский язык. Русский язык, 2009.

Difficulties in lessons

1. There are always new children in the group, usually without previous knowledge or with a low language competence. In this case it is hard to integrate them in the group. Therefore it is suitable to work with them individually to make them catch up with their peers.

2. The other category of difficulties is caused by the specificity of the Armenian language, e.g. in Armenian there is no category of gender existing. Under the influence of the mother tongue plenty of mistakes appear in Russian.

For instance: он (instead of she) and vice versa.

класть (instead of) and vice versa.

идти (instead of) and vice versa.

In order to avoid such mistakes, the use of cognitive operations is needed.

The children are enthusiastic when the lessons are held in the museum or at the different historical memorial places. Thus, they acquire knowledge about culture, traditions, habits of the own country.

A trip to Garni/Geghard

The trip to Garni/Geghard

On 23rd November 2013 an excursion to Garni and Geghard was organised by the AWO Heimatgarten Adaptation Center Yerevan (RECEA project). 24 persons (children, teenagers, parents) participated in the excursion.  Two comfortable coaches brought the children to the destination.

The Garni fortress used to be the summer residence of the Armenian kings for some centuries.

On the territory of the fortification a hellenistic temple with 24 ionic columns was built by Tiridates I in the first century. The Garni temple was destroyed by an earthquake in 1679 and then rebuilt. During excavations a Romanian bath house was discovered. 

 Worth seeing is the antique church consisting of blue-black basalt as well.

Geghard is an Armenian monastery in the district Kotajk.

Since 2000 it is belonging to the UNESCO world heritage. The founding of the monastery in the 4th century in the place of a pagan source is attributed to St. Grigor. It was destroyed by the Arabians in the 9th century and afterwards reconstructed in 1215.

The monastery is belonging to the important testimonies of the Armenian Apostolic Church and is carved in stone.

In the late afternoon the children returned to Yerevan, tired, but full of rich impressions. They enjoyed the trip. 

Tour guide to Echmiadzin

Article about Echmiadzin, July 2013

Tour guide to Echmiadzin, RECEA Center

Zvarnots, a complex construction with antique tradition, is situated between Yerevan and Echmiadzin and was built around the middle of the 7th century. The construction consists of St. George’s Church, also called “Zvarnots”, which means heavenly guards or angels, and the palace of the builder, Katholikos Nerses III. Zvarnots, built between 641 and 661 would exceed the church of Echmiadzin in significance and dimensions.

Already in the beginning of the 10th century the construction was destroyed. There is no cause known. What remained were the foundation walls, columns, and some more single fragments. Today’s try of a reconstruction leads to different results about the original look of the construction.

The construction stayed hidden until the beginning of the 20th century. The excavations were made between 1901 and 1907. The base of the cathedral, the remains of the bishop’s palace and a wine cellar were digged up. Furthermore during the excavations it showed up that Zvarnots was built on remains and structures which go back in times of the Urartians.

The remains of Zvarnots, also as ruins, are still imposing. There only remained the lower parts of the walls and single fragmentations. The views about the original state differ.

 

Remains of Zvarnots cathedral; source: Wikipedia

Zvarnots was built in a time when already a big part of Armenia was under the influence of Byzance and the first attacks of Muslim Arabs were happening. This fact might not have been without consequences on the formation of the construction.

There is no clear view about the original formation of the cathedral. Most likely accepted is the idea of Toros Toramanian who was immediately involved in the excavations in 1905. According to this the building had three floors. The inside of the church had a mosaique in the form of a greek cross which was defined by a passage. The outer form was the one of a building with 32 edges, so at last round.

Together with the churches of Echmiadzin Zvarnots was added to the list of UNESCO’s world cultural heritage in year 2000. A picture of the cathedral was represented on the first 100 Dram bank notes and a model can be visited today in the Museum for History in Eriwan.

Between 643 and 652 Katholikos Nerses III. (called “The Builder”) built the cathedral of St. George in a place where there was supposed to be a meeting of King Trdat III. and Gregory the Illuminator. In 930 the church was destroyed by an earthquake and was just rediscovered in the 20th century. Excavations between 1900 and 1907 exposed the foundations of the cathedral and the remains of the Palace of Katholikos and of one winery.

In the last years, some of the walls and columns with capitells and arcs were set up again and were partly supplemented by reconstructions.

The inside of the palace church, decorated with frescos, used to have the form of a greek cross with three axes, however, the outer form was a 32 sided polygon that appears as a circle from far away.

Today’s academics agree with the conclusion of Toros Toramanjan, who collaborated in the excavations, that the building used to have three floors.

Some sources assert that the cathedral is displayed standing on the Ararat mountain in one of the frescos in the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. But this is not very probable because this fresco arose only after more than 300 years after the destruction of the church.

Together with the churches of Echmiadzin and the monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin in the north of Armenia, in year 2000, Swarnoz was included in the UNESCO world heritage list.

A drawing of the cathedral is pictured on the first edition of the Armenian 100 Dram bank note and a model of the cathedral can be visited in the Historical museum in Yerevan. The ruins of Swarnots are a popular film set. For instance, there were scenes of the opera adaptation “Norma” captured.

The cathedral of Echmiadyzin (Mayr Tajar Surb Etschmiadsin; originally known as mother of God’s church) is an Armenian apostolic church in the Armenian province Armawir. It is part of a monastery construction and cathedral of the patriarch of the Armenian apostolic church, the catholicos of the Holy See of St. Echmiadzin and all Armenians. The church that was founded from 301 on the basements of a hagan temple was finished in August 303 from the first catholicos, Gregor the Illuminator. Since 2000 it is listed as UNESCO world cultural heritage. In the cathedral there is a museum in which relics and treasures are exposed.

The cathedral of Echmiadzin, that is situated about 20 km west of Yerevan, is the oldest christian place of Armenia and represents the religious center of this country until today. It is considered to be the first christian church built from a state and was in the times of the Soviet Union the oldest church in their territorium. The cathedral is one of the most important monuments of Armenia. 

Echmiadzin; source: Wikipedia

Echmiadzin museum

You shouldn't leave Echmiadzin, before entering the Manougian museum. It contains plenty of memories, pious art products and lightened manuscripts, so insist on seeing it. Another secret is a fire pit below the altar. This is where hagans prayed to fire before the Christianity. It is in the small museum in the main cathedral, with the entrance on the right side of the altar.

There are some pious art products in possession but usually You have to ask for showing the prayer’s pit to You for a little donation.