Between May 11 and 15, eight of Hungary’s thirteen national minority advocates — representing the Greek, Serbian, Slovak, Polish, Croatian, Bulgarian, and Armenian communities — traveled to Yerevan. This was the first delegation of its kind, specifically composed of national minority representatives, to visit Armenia following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

During the official meetings, the delegation met with Hakob Arshakyan, Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly. He expressed his pleasure at the meeting and shared his hope that the progressing relationship would expand across various fields, including culture, society, and the economy. Nikogosz Akopjan, the Armenian National Minority Spokersperson in the Hungarian Parliament, along with his host, urged that, following the appointment of the Hungarian head of the Armenian-Hungarian Joint Economic Committee, the appointment of the Armenian head of the committee should also take place as soon as possible, so that relations could develop further.

The delegation also met with members of the Armenia-Hungary Parliamentary Friendship Group, as well as representatives of Armenia’s two largest national minorities — the Russian and Yazidi communities. These meetings provided an opportunity to learn about the legal situation of minority communities in both countries, discuss the enhancement of minority rights, and explore possibilities for interethnic cooperation. Representatives of Armenia’s national minorities expressed hope that a genuine, active relationship could be established between the minority communities of the two nations.

As part of the visit, the delegation laid a wreath at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, paying tribute to the innocent victims of this tragic historical event.

A key planned stop on the short visit was Echmiadzin, the spiritual center of the Armenian Apostolic Church. As Christianity has been a vital force in the historical development of all national communities, the visit to this site held great significance. In Echmiadzin, the delegation was received by Archbishop Nathan, Director of the External Relations and Protocol Department of the Mother See. While exploring Armenia’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage, the delegation also had the opportunity to visit some of the country’s oldest and most significant monasteries.

This visit marks an important step in strengthening bilateral cooperation, building inter-parliamentary relations, and promoting intercultural dialogue.

Article written by: Shogher Manukyan, Project code: 2024-1-HU01-ESC51-VTJ-000207879

Photos by: Shogher Manukyan, Project code: 2024-1-HU01-ESC51-VTJ-000207879