President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian today received board members of the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO led by chairman of the board George Parseghian.

Parseghian presented the Center’s activities, stated that the Center is currently working under the auspices of the Armenian General Benevolent Union and said the Center has been working with state institutions, philanthropic and charitable organizations for the past 18 years and considers it its duty to express gratitude to all those organizations and institutions.

Expressing gratitude to the President and the presidential institution for the attention towards and support to the Syrian-Armenians who settled in Armenia as a result of the Syrian crisis and their problems, the Center’s representatives granted a letter of appreciation and a memento to President Sarkissian, who expressed gratitude for the attention.

Stating that repatriation is desired and pleasant, but can often also be a result of painful historical, political and military events, the President said Armenians repatriated during the short-lived First Republic of Armenia, the early years of Soviet Armenia and after WWII and brought with them culture and experiences. He added that whenever there is trouble in different parts of the Diaspora, all Armenians look towards Armenia and that in spite of the war that took many lives in Syria, today, the Syrian-Armenians have a homeland that they can always come to.

Sarkissian also stated that Armenia must never forget the way Syria has treated the Armenians, especially after the Armenian Genocide. “We can’t forget the culture, spiritual values, churches and centers that the Armenians created in Syria, as well as the way Syrians treated Armenians. The Armenians of Syria will always be a bridge between Armenia and Syria,” he said.

Chairman of the board of the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues George Parseghian thankfully noted that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Yerevan My Love Foundation, the chairman of the board of trustees of which is Armen Sarkissian, has provided social support to 400 Syrian-Armenians families in need of assistance.