On July 21-August 1, an educational trip “Armenian camp in Iran” was held in the cities of Tehran and Isfahan (New Jugha) of the Islamic Republic of Iran for 60 graduates selected from four streams of the educational program “Armenian University” of the scientific and educational NGO “Armenian Project”. The purpose of the trip was to deepen the graduates’ knowledge about friendly Iran, its social and state structure, the Armenian community of Iran, as well as to strengthen Armenia-Diaspora youth ties.
During the camp, both educational, expert and public diplomacy events were held, in which the co-founders of the “Armenian project” and graduates of the Armenian University took part. During the trip, meetings with Iranian-Armenian community structures took place, including the reception and blessing of the participants of the program of the leaders of the dioceses of Tehran and Isfahan, Ark. Sargsyan and Eps. Kechejian. Thanks to the cooperation of the national authorities of Tehran, New Jugha and Armenian Project, it became possible to establish ties between the Union of Graduates of the Armenian University and the youth circles of Iranian Armenians. During the program, the co-founders of the “Armenian project” Edgar Elbakyan, Karen Igityan, Sergey Melkonyan, Varuzhan Geghamyan held meetings with Iranian expert circles, and also gave interviews in the leading Iranian media: the IRI TV and radio company, the Voice of Iran radio station, the Tasnim news agency.
The participants of the program visited the Gulistan Palace in Tehran (included in the UNESCO World Heritage List), the National Museum of the Islamic Revolution and Sacred Defense, the Unions of Armenians of Iran Nairi and Sipan, Aram Manukyan hall of the Union of Armenian Artisans, S. Sargis Cathedral Church, the editorial office of the daily newspaper “Alik”, the institution “HUSK”, the political and International research institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Lexical Institute Dexoda of Tehran University and the International Center for the Study of the Persian Language, the Institute for the Study of Modern History of Iran, the sights of the Armenian quarter of New Jugha in Isfahan, including “St. Amenaprkich” Monastery and the Museum of it, the Church of St. Bethlehem, the Museum of the musical wealth of the Armenians Jugha of Isfahan, Imam Square (included in the UNESCO World Heritage List), the Sophe mountain range (2253 m) in the south of the city, where the flags of Armenia and Artsakh were fluttered, as well as the flag of “Armenian project”.
The participants’ stay was provided on the territory of the Ararat stadiums of Tehran and New Jugha. The logistical needs of the trip were met at the expense of “Armenian project”, the bodies and individual representatives of the Armenian national authorities of Tehran and New Jugha.
Armenian Project undertakes to continue cooperation with friendly Iran and the Armenian community of Iran both within the framework of the Armenian University and other programs of the organization.