The first stage participants of the Come Home program and their parents share their impressions and opinions YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. Parents of the Georgian Armenian young people participating in the 1st stage of the Come Home 2009 program of the RA Ministry of Diaspora sent letters of congratulation to the Ministry on the occasion of successful implementation of the program. Parts of the letters characterizing the young peoples' impressions and the parents' feelings are presented below with insignificant editorship. Nodar Ter-Baghdasarov and Tsovinar Ter-Baghdasarova-Badalian from Georgia, particularly, write: "We are thankful to the Ministry of Diaspora for the Come Home program, especially to Minister Hranush Hakobian, program manager Zhenia Azizian, members of the family showing hospitality: Silva, Razmik, Garnik and Anna Yeghiazarians. They warmly received the children and granted their expensive time to them. The children were really in their house, surrounded by relatives' warmth and love. We are grateful for all the seconds that You granted to our children... When we met the children they were full of love and warmth towards the Homeland. Your initiative is very important for us as similar events make the young people living out of the borders of the Homeland closer to each other and to the Homeland and assist preservation of the Armenian spirit." Mother of one of the young people, Nelli Grigorian sent the following letter: "Dear Mrs. Hranush. Dear employees of the Ministry of Diaspora. How highflown it seems, but for the Armenian young people from different countries of the world the program implemented by You is a Great Armenian Deed for uniting our people round Armenia Homeland... The family showed hospitality to my daughter became relative during 15 days of the program. They gave warmth and love to my daughter, feeling of relationship of our Armenian souls. This is the way Armenians become real relatives, a united nation..." Mother of another young people from Georgia participated in the program, Anzhela Shahdinarian expressed her deep gratitude for "implementation of this wonderful idea." In her words, "this project helped our children to know the Homeland better. They participated in the courses on the Armenian dances, Armenian language and history, got acquainted with the Armenian culture. I hope that the ties with the Homeland will more strengthen. Special thanks to the family showing hospitality, too..." Georgian Armenian children participated in the first stage of the Come Home - 2009 program Gohar Trchunian and Anaida Poghosova presented the impressions got in Armenia in the odnoklassniki.ru public site. G. Trchunian wrote: "I am deeply grateful to the organizers, especially to Hranush Hakobian for the most wonderful and interesting two weeks in my life. It was a real tale. Owing to that program I newly saw my Homeland and loved it with a new inexhaustible love. I have got many new friends and got to know many things about Armenia as well as about other countries and Armenian Diaspora. Special thanks to Zhenia Azizian and the young people of the staff accompanying us... I love You. I am proud that I am an Armenian. I love my Armenia." "Oh, my God, what bright memories, what unforgettable days, what places of interest," Anaida Poghosova writes. - "It is difficult to find words to characterize the 15 fairy days I passed in Yerevan. I feel crying when I remember all these. Those wonderful memories will always remain in my heart. I love you, Armenia. I want to express deep gratitude on behalf of the children from Georgia to the Ministry of Diaspora, Hranush Hakobian and the whole staff." Three young people arrived in Armenia from Turkey within the f ramework of the program expressed their impressions from the days passed in Armenia on the pages of the Agos newspaper. Karen Emirgeloghli, particularly, writes: "It was very impressive for me to see Armenia, get acquainted with the history, geography, culture and family life. In my opinion, every Armenian should see Armenia..." Lara Tarakchea says: "As it is my first travel to Armenia, I created different countries in my mind before going there. But the reality is that it is much better than I imangined. We all were very excited before going. We did not know the families where we were to live and were going to a strange country. We stayed with completely strange people. They were very hospitable. We got friends from other countries, different cultures during 17 days. It was rather amusing. During the recent days the most difficult thing for many of us was to leave the families, for many was to leave the friends. If we passed the first days studying everything, we did not understand how the last days passed. When we review, we see that we had only nice and funny memories." According to Melisa Yilderim "it was a pleasure to be in Armenia and get acquainted with the people living here. People are hot-tempered and hospitable. I have had a better time here owing to it. I want to againt visit it as soon as possible." Chairman of the Union of Armenians in the region of Altay Vladimir Farashian also expressed his gratitude on behalf of all the children from that territory of Russia participated in the first stage of the Come Home -2009 program. He wrote in the letter addressed to the RA Ministry of Diaspora: "Dear friends, our children are delighted, very thankful for the warm reception and organization of their visit to the Homeland."

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