June 6, 2002

For Immediate Release

National Citizens' Initiative
Holds Roundtable on Armenian East-West Issues

Yerevan—The National Citizens' Initiative (NCI), founded by Armenia's first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K. Hovannisian, convened a seminar today on "Contemporary Issues of Armenian Ethnic Self-Preservation." The roundtable is the first in a series of preparatory events for an NCI international conference, to be held in autumn, on "Armenia-Diaspora: Cultural Commonalities and Distinctions."

Fifty scholars from the Armenian National Academy of Sciences and its research institutes, professors at Yerevan State University, intellectuals from the diaspora, as well as NGO representatives and human rights activists participated in the meeting.

Hrach Hakobyan, coordinator of the National Citizens' Initiative, opened the seminar with words of welcome. Dr. Petros Hovhannisian, lecturer at the Department of History of Yerevan State University, delivered a paper on "The Historical and Cultural Peculiarities of Western and Eastern Armenians." Grigor Hakobian, research associate of the Institute of Literature at the National Academy of Sciences, addressed "Language as Creator and Keeper of Mentality." Father Levon Zekiyan of the Mkhitarist Congregation dwelt on "Eastern and Western Armenian Characters: Past and Present." Dr. Levon Abrahamian of the Academy's Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography highlighted "The Armenian Model of Diaspora."

A brisk debate, moderated by NCI Council member Dr. Hranoush Kharatian, ensued.

The National Citizens' Initiative is a public nonprofit association founded in December 2001 by Raffi Hovannisian, his colleagues, and fellow citizens with the purpose of realizing the rule of law and overall improvements in the state of the state, society, and public institutions. The National Citizens' Initiative is guided by a Coordinating Council, which includes individual citizens and representatives of various public, scientific, and educational establishments. Five commissions on Law and State Administration, Socioeconomic Issues, Foreign Policy, Spiritual and Cultural Challenges, and the Youth constitute the vehicles for the Initiative's work and outreach.

For further information, please call (3741) 27-16-00 or 27-00-03; fax (3741) 52-48-46; e-mail info@nci.am or NCI_Aghababyan@yahoo.com.