Epress.am News from Armenia
RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Stepan Petrosyan yesterday met with Chair of the Armenian autonomy at the Forum of National and Ethnic Minorities of the Hungarian Parliament, President of Hungary’s Armenian Diaspora Union Adam Sargsyan, according to an official RA Ministry of Diaspora press release.
Armenians settled in Hungary in the 10th—11th centuries and there are currently 10,000—15,000 Armenians living in the country, says the ministry. The majority are Hungarian-Armenians who moved from Transylvania; there are a few Armenian communities in the Hungarian cities of Debretsen, Shopron, Seged, Sekeshfehervar and Vesprem.
Petrosyan welcomed the activities of the three Sunday schools, the cultural center and non-governmental unions of Budapest aimed at preserving the Armenian identity and the community’s efforts to engage in the programs implemented by the RA Ministry of Diaspora.
The parties placed importance on the need for the community’s self-organization and reached an agreement to follow France’s example and establish a coordinating council of Armenian organizations of Hungary.
Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Adam Sargsyan mentioned that the concert tour of the Malkhas Ensemble dedicated to Armenia’s independence in September served as a great impetus for the awakening of the Armenian spirit among the Hungarian-Armenian community.
Head of the Department of Armenian Communities of Europe Hr. Aslanyan also met with the Chair of the Union. The parties discussed a number of issues related to the establishment of a coordinating council of Armenian organizations of Hungary.