YEREVAN. – The Ministry of Diaspora of Armenia was the venue Monday for the official kick-off of the second phase in the Ministry’s Come Home 2014 motherland visiting program for the Diaspora-Armenian youth.

Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan delivered opening remarks and welcomed the young participants in the program to their homeland, Armenia.

In addition, Hakobyan invited the Come Home participants the official opening—on July 1—of the “My Armenia” Pan-Armenian Festival, in which dance ensembles from 34 countries will participate.

A total of 130 Armenian youngsters from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, USA, France, Sweden, Latvia, and Syria will take part in the second phase of the Come Home 2014 program. 

During the nine-day program, the participants visit the well-known sights of Armenia, meet with the state, public and cultural figures of the country, take lessons on homeland studies, and learn Armenian national dances and songs. At the end of the program, the participants camp for five days in Tsaghkadzor city.