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DIASPORA MINISTRY RESPONDS TO ASBAREZ
by Ara Khachatourian
asbarez
Friday, March 16th, 2012
The homepage of the Virtual Armeian Diaspora Museum
On Tuesday, Asbarez Editor, Ara Khachatourian, in an article (Diaspora
Ministry's Affront to the Diaspora 3/13/12) criticized the Virtual
Armenian Diaspora Museum, which was unveiled this week by Armenia's
Diaspora Ministry.
The editorial board of the Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum sent an
email to Asbarez in response to the article, the translated text of
which is presented below:
Dear Mr. Khachatourian:
We are happy that you have visited the Virtual Armenian Diaspora
Museum and we are grateful that you are following the activities of
the Diaspora Ministry. For us every remark, opinion and criticism is
very important.
However, we are saddened that our undertaking was characterized as an
"insult" to the Diaspora. Our ministry was created to cooperate with
the Diaspora and make the Diaspora's voice heard, and not to insult it.
We highly appreciate the Diaspora's role in preserving the Armenian
heritage and in the creation of the independent Armenian state. The
Diaspora Ministry of the Republic of Armenia is open to address any
issue with the representatives of the Diaspora. For us, constructive
criticism is acceptable; criticism, which is directed at the betterment
and not insulting or diminishing an effort.
During our more than three years of existence, we have attempted
to establish relations with all communities of the Diaspora, all
organizations, educational and cultural centers, editorial boards
of publications and individuals. We inform [the public] about the
ministry's activities, among them plans for the Virtual Armenian
Diaspora Museum, through Armenia's diplomatic representations, Armenian
religious structures and pan-Armenian organizations. Let us also state
that in informing about any program, we stress that we are ready to
cooperate and accept criticism and suggestions about programs.
As it relates to the Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum Web site, we
would like to state the within the parameters of the site, we will
not engage in academic arguments about the creation of the Diaspora,
its definition and other theoretical issue, because that is a matter
to be addressed through other methods.
Political assessments about the Armenian Diaspora and developments
in Armenia-Diaspora cooperation are pointed out by the President
of the Republic of Armenia. This serves as a basis in organizing
our activities.
As for the factual errors, inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the
site, we would like to stress that every day work is being conducted
on the site, and through your suggestions we will correct each mistake
and inaccuracy, and advance the technological capabilities. It is
imperative to have cooperation in order to achieve all that. We are
ready to cooperate with all those who have the desire to work together.
Taking into consideration your criticism that the Armenian press
has not been incorporated in the site, we would like to stress in
all the sections that introduce the communities all Armenian media
have been presented. Aside from that, we greatly appreciate the role
and significance of the Armenian press in our national reality and we
have planned to dedicate a separate page about the press, for which our
ongoing efforts have been intensified. If you have concrete suggestions
about this matter, we would gladly take it into consideration.
We are confident that any project will benefit from the appropriate
coordination of efforts and the proper guidance of resources.
Respectfully, Editorial Board of the "Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum"
EDITOR'S RESPONE: An Asbarez reader asked me why I did not enumerate
examples of the inaccuracies and the inconsistencies in my article. My
response was that to begin such delineation would require that I revamp
the entire content of the Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum Web site,
a task that did not fall under my purview.
The point I was making in my piece was that perhaps all i's should
have dotted and t's crossed prior to unveiling this site. After all
this is not a middle-school project but an effort from a government
ministry. Imagine if the State Department goes live with a site and
asks the public to fill in the blanks. Twenty years after Armenia's
independence, its government should be sophisticated enough to consult
the proper people and compile factual information before presenting
it to the public. This site is not for internal consumption only, but
reflects our country and our nation. Perhaps a beta version should
have been unveiled and circulated for comments and corrections,
before fully launching the site.
Furthermore, this attitude of "we've attempted to do something good
and instead of criticizing come and help us," is for a bygone era. We,
as a nation, are passed that. Hence my assertion that "the Diaspora
is not a slogan to propel the creation of a haphazard Web site whose
content is more an embarrassment than a showcase of our rich Armenian
national heritage."
This is not a game. The ministry cannot throw a ball in a court and
expect those who want to play to converge around the ball. If the
Diaspora Ministry is to be taken seriously, their rhetoric, which
during the three-plus years of its existence has been patronizing at
best, must change.
The letter to Asbarez clearly states that the Web site "will not
engage in academic arguments about the creation of the Diaspora, its
definition and other theoretical issue, because that is a matter to be
addressed through other methods." This means, that the masterminds of
this effort are unwilling to identify the purpose of this endeavor and
are content to have simply created a repository of facts and figures,
not all of them correct.
The assertion that plans about the Virtual Museum were conveyed
through "Armenia's diplomatic representations, Armenian religious
structures and pan-Armenian organizations" is simply false. Neither
the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles, nor the Prelacy or
the Diocese have brought this plan to the attention of the public. For
that matter, neither did the Diaspora Minister, Hranush Hakopyan,
during a press conference last September in Los Angeles discuss any
plan for a Virtual Museum.
I stand by my initial conclusion that "It is the Diaspora Ministry's
responsibility to rectify this situation by immediately taking it down
and, if the ministry is truly committed to creating this important
repository, bring together experts to work on creating a Web site
worthy of our national aspirations."
Leaders of every organization mentioned in the Web site should
diligently look at the information and accordingly respond to the
ministry.
Nevertheless, I do appreciate the Editorial Board's response. Perhaps,
this can create a healthy discourse through which the real mission
of the Diaspora Ministry will be identified, because until now that
mission has been vague, if not nebulous.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Ara Khachatourian
asbarez
Friday, March 16th, 2012
The homepage of the Virtual Armeian Diaspora Museum
On Tuesday, Asbarez Editor, Ara Khachatourian, in an article (Diaspora
Ministry's Affront to the Diaspora 3/13/12) criticized the Virtual
Armenian Diaspora Museum, which was unveiled this week by Armenia's
Diaspora Ministry.
The editorial board of the Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum sent an
email to Asbarez in response to the article, the translated text of
which is presented below:
Dear Mr. Khachatourian:
We are happy that you have visited the Virtual Armenian Diaspora
Museum and we are grateful that you are following the activities of
the Diaspora Ministry. For us every remark, opinion and criticism is
very important.
However, we are saddened that our undertaking was characterized as an
"insult" to the Diaspora. Our ministry was created to cooperate with
the Diaspora and make the Diaspora's voice heard, and not to insult it.
We highly appreciate the Diaspora's role in preserving the Armenian
heritage and in the creation of the independent Armenian state. The
Diaspora Ministry of the Republic of Armenia is open to address any
issue with the representatives of the Diaspora. For us, constructive
criticism is acceptable; criticism, which is directed at the betterment
and not insulting or diminishing an effort.
During our more than three years of existence, we have attempted
to establish relations with all communities of the Diaspora, all
organizations, educational and cultural centers, editorial boards
of publications and individuals. We inform [the public] about the
ministry's activities, among them plans for the Virtual Armenian
Diaspora Museum, through Armenia's diplomatic representations, Armenian
religious structures and pan-Armenian organizations. Let us also state
that in informing about any program, we stress that we are ready to
cooperate and accept criticism and suggestions about programs.
As it relates to the Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum Web site, we
would like to state the within the parameters of the site, we will
not engage in academic arguments about the creation of the Diaspora,
its definition and other theoretical issue, because that is a matter
to be addressed through other methods.
Political assessments about the Armenian Diaspora and developments
in Armenia-Diaspora cooperation are pointed out by the President
of the Republic of Armenia. This serves as a basis in organizing
our activities.
As for the factual errors, inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the
site, we would like to stress that every day work is being conducted
on the site, and through your suggestions we will correct each mistake
and inaccuracy, and advance the technological capabilities. It is
imperative to have cooperation in order to achieve all that. We are
ready to cooperate with all those who have the desire to work together.
Taking into consideration your criticism that the Armenian press
has not been incorporated in the site, we would like to stress in
all the sections that introduce the communities all Armenian media
have been presented. Aside from that, we greatly appreciate the role
and significance of the Armenian press in our national reality and we
have planned to dedicate a separate page about the press, for which our
ongoing efforts have been intensified. If you have concrete suggestions
about this matter, we would gladly take it into consideration.
We are confident that any project will benefit from the appropriate
coordination of efforts and the proper guidance of resources.
Respectfully, Editorial Board of the "Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum"
EDITOR'S RESPONE: An Asbarez reader asked me why I did not enumerate
examples of the inaccuracies and the inconsistencies in my article. My
response was that to begin such delineation would require that I revamp
the entire content of the Virtual Armenian Diaspora Museum Web site,
a task that did not fall under my purview.
The point I was making in my piece was that perhaps all i's should
have dotted and t's crossed prior to unveiling this site. After all
this is not a middle-school project but an effort from a government
ministry. Imagine if the State Department goes live with a site and
asks the public to fill in the blanks. Twenty years after Armenia's
independence, its government should be sophisticated enough to consult
the proper people and compile factual information before presenting
it to the public. This site is not for internal consumption only, but
reflects our country and our nation. Perhaps a beta version should
have been unveiled and circulated for comments and corrections,
before fully launching the site.
Furthermore, this attitude of "we've attempted to do something good
and instead of criticizing come and help us," is for a bygone era. We,
as a nation, are passed that. Hence my assertion that "the Diaspora
is not a slogan to propel the creation of a haphazard Web site whose
content is more an embarrassment than a showcase of our rich Armenian
national heritage."
This is not a game. The ministry cannot throw a ball in a court and
expect those who want to play to converge around the ball. If the
Diaspora Ministry is to be taken seriously, their rhetoric, which
during the three-plus years of its existence has been patronizing at
best, must change.
The letter to Asbarez clearly states that the Web site "will not
engage in academic arguments about the creation of the Diaspora, its
definition and other theoretical issue, because that is a matter to be
addressed through other methods." This means, that the masterminds of
this effort are unwilling to identify the purpose of this endeavor and
are content to have simply created a repository of facts and figures,
not all of them correct.
The assertion that plans about the Virtual Museum were conveyed
through "Armenia's diplomatic representations, Armenian religious
structures and pan-Armenian organizations" is simply false. Neither
the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles, nor the Prelacy or
the Diocese have brought this plan to the attention of the public. For
that matter, neither did the Diaspora Minister, Hranush Hakopyan,
during a press conference last September in Los Angeles discuss any
plan for a Virtual Museum.
I stand by my initial conclusion that "It is the Diaspora Ministry's
responsibility to rectify this situation by immediately taking it down
and, if the ministry is truly committed to creating this important
repository, bring together experts to work on creating a Web site
worthy of our national aspirations."
Leaders of every organization mentioned in the Web site should
diligently look at the information and accordingly respond to the
ministry.
Nevertheless, I do appreciate the Editorial Board's response. Perhaps,
this can create a healthy discourse through which the real mission
of the Diaspora Ministry will be identified, because until now that
mission has been vague, if not nebulous.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress