Washington forum focuses on Armenia-Diaspora Relations

Raffi Hovannisian to deliver the keynote luncheon address

Published: Friday February 26, 2010

Raffi Hovannisian. Photolure.

Washington - Armenia-Diaspora relations have never been more strained in the 20 years since independence. To provide an opportunity for academics, policy practitioners, and the public to discuss perspectives on, and approaches to, the present-day challenges facing the Armenian nation Policy Forum Armenia will hold its 2nd Annual Forum in Washington, DC on February 28-March 2, 2010.

For its 1st high-level Forum on the global economic crisis, held in Yerevan on May 25, 2009, PFA brought together an unprecedented line-up of academics and policymakers from Armenia, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and UAE, including Armenia's five former Prime Ministers, to discuss the implications of the crisis for Armenia and help devise policy prescriptions to mitigate them.

As in the 1st Forum, the 2nd (Armenia-Diaspora) Forum will gather a large number of intellectuals-academic and public policy practitioners-to discuss challenges and help devise new modes of engagement between Armenia and its Diaspora.

Day 1 of the Forum (February 28) will be held at the Cosmos Club, Washington's premier venue for social and policy events, and will feature the presentation of PFA's Report on "Armenia-Diaspora Relations: 20 Years Since Independence."

Day 2 of the Forum will be held at Georgetown University. This part of the Forum is open to the public, and we invite you to join us in Washington for a full day of deliberations on this important issue. We are very pleased to inform you that Mr. Raffi Hovannisian, Armenia's First Foreign Minister, will deliver the keynote luncheon address on Day 2 (March 1).

The program for Day 3 (March 2) is limited to only young professionals and will include thematic meetings with various international agencies and public and private organizations in order to continue the discussion on Armenia-Diaspora relations and offer young professionals opportunities to network in Washington.

A detailed agenda follows. For comments or questions related to the 2nd Forum and to RSVP for Days 2 and 3, please email forum@pf-armenia.org. To register media presence, please email exrelations@pf-armenia.org.

Day 1: Sunday, February 28, 2010

Inaugural Presentation of Policy Forum Armenia's Report on

Armenia-Diaspora Relations: 20 Years Since Independence

Moderator: Dr. Noubar Afeyan, Managing Partner and CEO, Flagship Ventures; and MIT

Opening Keynote Address: Dr. Daniel Kaufmann, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and

Development, Brookings Institution

Presentation of the Report: PFA Team Members

Discussants:

Dr. Rouben Shougarian, former Ambassador of Armenia in the U.S., Tufts University, USA

Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, Associate Director, Eurasia Program, Cambridge University, UK

Dr. Razmik Panossian, Director of Policy and Planning; Rights and Democracy, Canada

Where: The Cosmos Club, 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC

When: 7:30-10:00 PM. Cocktail reception to follow.

Day 2: Monday, March 1, 2010

Young Professionals Forum: Armenia-Diaspora Relations

Georgetown University, Washington, DC

8:30-9:00 Registration and Coffee

9:00-9:30 Opening address

9:30-11:00 Young Professional Session I

Moderator:

Dr. Zaven Kalayjian, Johns Hopkins University and PFA

Speakers:

Arpi Beglaryan, Slavonic University of Armenia

Armenia-Turkey Protocols: Benefits and Drawbacks

Jennifer de Mucci, Fordham University

Pouring Salt on Old Wounds: Psychological Impact of the Protocols

Tamar Palandjian, George Mason University

Interest-based Analysis of the Protocol-related Armenia-Diaspora Rift

Henry Dumanian, City University of New York

The Diaspora and Democracy in the Homeland

11:00-11:30 Coffee break

11:30-1:00 Young Professional Session II

Moderator:

Professor Susan Karamanian, George Washington University Law School

Speakers:

Dzovinar Derderian, University of Michigan and PFA

Democracy in Armenia and Diaspora-Armenia Relations

Ted Tourian, Burgh, Balian & Bergstein, LLP and PFA

The Accountability of Diaspora Organizations to Armenians

Hayk Sargsyan, Johns Hopkins University and PFA

Relations Between Armenia and Its Diaspora: A Comparative Perspective

Vahe Heboyan, University of Georgia and PFA

20 Years of Economic Engagement: Rethinking Values and Approaches

1:00-2:00 Luncheon

Luncheon Keynote Address: Raffi Hovannisian, First Foreign Minister of Armenia;

Founder, Heritage Party

2:00-4:00 Senior Professional Session I

Moderator:
Dr. Noubar Afeyan, Flagship Ventures and MIT

Speakers:

Professor Ara Sanjian, University of Michigan, Dearborn, USA

Viken Attarian, Lecturer, AGBU Montreal Arm. Studies Program, CANADA

Ara Papian, fmr. Ambassador of Armenia in Canada, Modus Vivendi Center

Larisa Alaverdyan, MP, National Assembly, Heritage Faction, ARMENIA

Hranoush Hakobyan, Minister of Diaspora Affairs, ARMENIA [*]

4:00-4:30 Coffee break

4:30-6:30 Senior Professional Session II

Moderator:

Professor Catherine Kessedjian, Pantheon-Assas University, Paris, FRANCE

Speakers:

Artsvik Minasyan, MP, National Assembly, ARF Faction, ARMENIA

Igor Muradian, Institute of Geopolitics and Geoeconomics, ARMENIA

Professor Khachig Tölölyan, Wesleyan University, USA

Professor Onnig Beylerian, Université du Québec à Montréal, CANADA

8:00-10:00 Cocktail Reception at Marriott Georgetown, Washington, DC

Special Guest Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Armenia Office

Day 3: Tuesday, March 2, 2010

10:00-1:00 Thematic Discussions for Young Professionals

Concurrent thematic discussions among young professionals (YPs) will be held on the following broadly defined topics: