For decades, one truth has been repeated: Armenia and its diaspora need each other. Yet, despite speeches and good intentions, that deep, reciprocal connection has not fully materialized. The question arises almost naturally: why has this not been done until now?
The weight of history
The modern diaspora was born from the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Survivors scattered across the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas with a clear goal: to survive and to keep memory alive. For decades, communities organized around schools, churches, and cultural associations, with the central priority of preserving identity and demanding recognition of the Genocide. A living connection with Armenia remained secondary, especially since the homeland was locked behind Soviet walls.
The Soviet barrier
For seventy years Armenia was part of the USSR. The result was isolation: the diaspora could not freely connect with the homeland, and Armenia could not open itself to its children abroad. Both realities, in many ways, grew apart, sometimes even in tension with one another.
After independence
With independence in 1991, new hopes emerged. A free Armenia seemed to mean the long-awaited reunion with the homeland. But reality was more complicated.
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In Armenia, some saw the diaspora as “outsiders” who criticized from afar.
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In the diaspora, Armenia was often viewed through the lens of corruption, instability, and lack of openness.
Mutual distrust became a barrier.
Emotional distance
Added to this was emotional and geographical distance. For thousands of young diasporans, Armenia remained a name, a myth, a memory passed down, but not a personal experience. Programs that could bridge that gap were largely missing.
A one-sided relationship
The bond remained mostly one-directional: the diaspora provided financial support, political lobbying, and solidarity in times of crisis; Armenia received. What was missing was a true give-and-take relationship, where both sides enriched each other.
What must be done now
Today, after the 2020 war and the loss of Artsakh, the issue has become a matter of national survival. Armenia cannot exist without the diaspora, and the diaspora cannot sustain itself without Armenia. What was left undone for decades is now an urgent necessity.
Some concrete steps include:
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A Permanent Armenia–Diaspora Council
A stable body where representatives from Armenia and the diaspora design and plan joint national strategies.
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Youth exchange programs
Every young diasporan should have the opportunity to visit Armenia at least once, whether to study, volunteer, or work.
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Armenia as a cultural engine
The state and cultural institutions could create online platforms to bring language, history, and culture directly from Yerevan to Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, or Paris.
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Shared economy
The diaspora can be a driver of economic development, but this requires clear incentives and joint projects combining diaspora capital with local expertise.
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Honest communication
This relationship cannot be limited to moments of crisis. It requires a constant and sincere dialogue.
A shared urgency
The reality is simple: Armenia without the diaspora is incomplete; the diaspora without Armenia loses meaning. What has not been done so far must be built now.
The time for excuses is over. It is no longer enough to say that “Armenia and the diaspora need one another.” We must begin to build the practical bridges that will guarantee the future of our nation.
