The Defender was welcomed by the head of the Verin Dvin
community, Lyudmila Petrova, and Father Nikadim Yukhanaev, Priest of the Holy
Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of East Armenia.
The latter presented to the Defender the problems of the
Assyrians living in Armenia, different issues related to the preservation of
elements of the identity of national minorities.
Anahit Manasyan stated that as the Human Rights Defender,
she attaches importance to the preservation of the identity of persons
belonging to national minorities, the guaranteeing of the rights to the
preservation and development of their traditions, religion, language and
culture.
"I consider it a priority to combine all of our
efforts to ensure and effectively protect the rights of national minorities in
our country," stated Anahit Manasyan.
The Defender especially emphasized that the various
problems related to the rights of persons belonging to national minorities and
the Defender's proposals regarding the overcoming of those problems were
summarized in the framework of the annual report on the activities of the Human
Rights Defender, the state of protection of human rights and freedoms.
During the visit, Anahit Manasyan paid tribute to the
memory of the victims of the forty-four-day war, laying flowers at the memorial
of the latter.
The Defender also visited the Holy Apostolic Catholic
Assyrian Church of East Armenia. Father Nikadim Yukhanaev presented the history
and religious features of the church to the Defender.
Within the framework of the visit to Verin Dvin, the
Human Rights Defender met with the students and teaching personnel of the
secondary school of the community. During the meeting, Anahit Manasyan
presented the directions of work of the Defender's Office, referred to
children's right to education, the fight against discrimination, intolerance,
and bullying.
"It is impossible to have a proper human rights
protection system without a tolerant and united environment. A tolerant and
united environment is not just a declarative idea, everyone should contribute
to its formation with their daily behavior. We should be pioneers in spreading
values, not followers of anti-values," stated the Defender.
Anahit Manasyan emphasized that in relation to the rights
of national minorities, the state, among other things, has a positive
obligation to guarantee and contribute to the preservation of their culture,
religion, language, and traditions, and in this regard, the active involvement
of national minority communities is extremely important.
At the end of the visit, the Defender and the
participants of the meeting expressed their gratitude to each other for the
interesting and meaningful discussion.
Հայերեն
