Teleconference at the RA Ministry of Diaspora.
DiasporaRA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan headed the first session of the executive body for the 6th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists with the participation of Diaspora Armenian members of the executive body participating online. Among the participants were Chief Editor of Aztag Daily Shahan Kandaharian (Lebanon), Editor of Armenian Mirror Spectator Weekly Hagop Vardivarian (USA), Editor of Nor Harach Two-Day Newspaper Jirair Cholakian (France) and Editor of Noyev Kovcheg Monthly Grigor Anisonyan (Russian Federation).
Minister Hranush Hakobyan greeted the participants and attached importance to the fact that the executive body was implementing the suggestions made during the 5th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists held in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, and is developing and implementing programs and events to solve the key issues raised during the forum.
Hranush Hakobyan touched upon the meetings with Armenian journalists in France and Lebanon, her meeting with heads of Armenian mass media outlets during her visit to the U.S. and mentioned that according to one of the proposals made during the 5th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists, RA Ministry of Diaspora and the All-Armenian Media Association. The RA Ministry of Diaspora have successfully launched the series of distance lectures organized with the purpose of raising the level of quality of professionalism of journalism in Artsakh.
Kandaharian, Vardivarian, Cholakian and Anisonyan presented the activities that they had implemented for the solution of key issues facing mass media after the 5th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists and made new proposals.
President of the Union of Journalists of Armenia Astghik Gevorgyan and President of the All-Armenian Media Association Tigran Harutyunyan briefly presented the part of the activities that had been implemented in Armenia. Gevorgyan proposed to engage Diaspora Armenian journalists reporting for foreign newspapers in the programs and collaborate with the journalists of reputable mass media outlets abroad.
During the session, the participants discussed the 6th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists, the Summer School for Diaspora Armenian Journalists program, the preparations for the contest “For notable contributions to the preservation of the Armenian identity” and “Best Armenian Press”, as well as the photo contest called “Artsakh in Instants”.
The executive body confirmed the title and timeframe for the 6th Pan-Armenian Forum of Journalists. The forum is entitled “Before the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide” and will be held on 4-6 October 2012. Heads and representatives of media outlets in Armenia and the Diaspora, as well as Armenian journalists working for foreign media can participate in the forum.
The participants also discussed the issue of forming the committee for the contest “For notable contributions to the preservation of the Armenian identity” and “Best Armenian Press”.
The executive body decided to hold the next session in late May.