Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today met with participants of the Get Down to Work program, which seeks to attract Diaspora specialists into Armenia’s public administration system.

Greeting the guests, the Prime Minister noted:
“We developed this program with great enthusiasm, great expectations and hopes. The program seeks to get young Diaspora specialists involved in Armenia’s public administration system to work for a specific period of time, to bring in new perspectives, freshness, to have an opportunity to see and study from the outside what is going on in the country. But we should admit that the program faced a series of complications from the very outset. At first it was deferred due to COVID-19, and then it saw the most challenging period for Armenia - the war. The time in this regard was not the most favorable period, but on the other hand, perhaps your presence here in the most difficult period is to some extent a huge moral support for all of us, in those ministries and departments where you were involved. And I want to thank you for sharing this difficult, extremely difficult period with us.

And now this topic and idea, which originally underlay the program, is becoming more and more relevant and acute, since the challenges facing the country can be solved by consolidating our national intellectual and common potential. But when we make such formulations and offer such formulas, we must clearly articulate what we mean, what we need to change in these relations in general and how we need to change it. But this is a matter of a lengthy talk. Now I would like to hear from you, Mr. Sinanian in particular, your views on the progress of the program. Also, let us exchange views on the impressions that program participants and government representatives have of the program, its future, continuity, and forms of expression.”

Chief Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs Zare Sinanian said the program’s current results can witness that it goes in tune with the underlying vision. About 800 applications have been received, with 49 participants this year, and the program has been in place for one year. Diaspora specialists came from different countries of the world: the USA, Austria, Germany, Thailand, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Canada, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Sweden, China, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, and France. Moreover, participants arrived during and after the war. They moved to work in 19 government agencies, with the opportunity to invest their experience and knowledge in improving different sectors, developing policies and programs.

The Chief Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs evoked the social aspect of the program, noting that some of the participants decided to repatriate and move to Armenia with their families. As for the practical aspect, according to Sinanian, during the past 3-4 months of work, the Diaspora experts boasted specific achievements in the form of tangible results - developed programs and proposals. The program participants have also visited Artsakh.

Participants in the Get Down to Work program talked about themselves, presented their work in various government agencies, and shared their impressions with the prime minister and asked him questions. As part of the dialogue, Nikol Pashinyan exchanged views with them on steps in the post-war situation, Armenia’s transformation and further progress, economic development, improving the efficiency of the public administration system, reforming education, promoting innovative and knowledge-based thinking, developing information technologies in a broad range of spheres, strengthening Armenia – Diaspora - Artsakh ties, endeavoring towards the preservation of Armenian identity in the Diaspora, promoting cultural assets.

The program participants thanked the Government of the Republic of Armenia for initiating such a program, which provides an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills for the development of the homeland, especially in today’s difficult situation. They reported several success stories, outstanding initiatives, came up with program proposals and assured that they will continue to do so.

The Prime Minister emphasized that through this program the government seeks to mobilize nationwide collective efforts for the sake of Motherland’s development, so that, in addition to a strong and fundamental spiritual connection, the Diaspora could have other platforms for communication with the Motherland. Nikol Pashinyan underscored the importance of providing continued feedback and called on program participants to diagnose the problems and submit proposals for their solution.