On October 26, AGBU Armenian Virtual College participated in a teleconference on the preservation and development of the Western Armenian language, organized by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia.

Hranush Hakobyan, the Minister of Diaspora, stated that the preservation and further development of Western Armenian is a primary goal for the Armenian Government. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the existing problems, proposals and viewpoints in order to finalize the state strategy on the development of the Western Armenian language.

Leading scholars from the National Academy of Science, Matenadaran, and a number of universities and organizations in Armenia and Diaspora took part in the teleconference. They discussed the challenges that threaten the continuance of the language in the rapidly changing global environment and potential ways to overcome them.

Dr. Yervant Zorian, the Founding President of the Armenian Virtual College, presented the current activities of AVC and the opportunities for the development of Western Armenian through distance learning. With nearly 23,000 students from across the world, the AVC e-learning programs have proven to be a modern and effective way for teaching Armenian language, history and culture and a powerful tool for the preservation of the Armenian identity in the Diaspora.

“We also combine communication with content and create a worldwide network, in which Armenians from different communities can meet, exchange ideas and create new programs and projects,” Dr. Zorian emphasized.