Diaspora and Homeland Must Strengthen Each Other, Argues Writer
The nation is broader than any government
A diaspora advocate has challenged recent remarks by an Armenian National Assembly lawmaker questioning whether a stronger diaspora benefits Armenia. Writing in The Armenian Weekly, the author—whose family spans three generations across the U.S., Syria, and Armenia—argues that the diaspora and homeland represent "two dimensions of one people" that should reinforce each other rather than compete.
The piece contends that diaspora legitimacy is earned through decades of cultural preservation, genocide recognition efforts, and advocacy in foreign capitals—not granted by electoral mandates. The author warns that policies restricting citizenship pathways or voting rights for diaspora Armenians risk sending negative signals at a time of strained trust. He emphasizes that honest disagreement with government foreign policy constitutes legitimate national service, not disloyalty.
