Civilitas is pleased to receive visitors all year. But summer is an especially busy time. This week, the parish of the Armenian Church of the Holy Translators (Framingham, Massachusetts) visited in large numbers. Led by Father Krikor Sabounjian, pastor, and Anthony Barsamian, an active parish member also involved in various private and public sector projects in Armenia the group of several dozen of all ages came to see what Civilitas does, hear about CivilNet.am and its special place in Armenia-Diaspora connections, and interacted with Civilitas’s young, passionate, multilingual staff.
Civilitas Director Salpi Ghazarian, as well as editors Karen Harutyunyan and Maria Titizian also spoke to the group, and a lively conversation followed on various aspects of Armenia-Diaspora relations, Armenian identity issues, expectations and images of Armenia (by the Diaspora) and ways in which each visitor can get engaged.
Salpi Ghazarian described various Civilitas programs that invite Diaspora collaboration, and in particular, the support to the Armenian Dairy Industry which is implemented by securing donations and purchasing well-bred cows to ‘sell’ to Armenia’s farmers (using the microfinance principles.) Farmers pay back 100 percent of their obligations and these donations are used again, to purchase new cows for other farmers.
More groups of visitors are expected and will be welcomed throughout the summer.