Official ceremony of presentation of Armenian passports

15 February, 2013

Official ceremony of presentation of Armenian passports took place at the Embassy of Armenia in Lebanon on February 14 and 15, 2013. After the national anthem of Armenia Ambassador of Armenia in Lebanon Ashot Kocharian delivered his welcoming remarks to the invitees. He particularly emphasized that within last years interest and confidence towards Motherland raised among Lebanese Armenians. Manifestation of this fact is the increasing number of applicants for Armenian citizenship.

He outlined that the Armenian citizenship is granted by the decree of the President of Armenia and becoming of the citizen of Armenia is great honour and pride for everyone. It opens new opportunities and gives great responsibility.
The Ambassador highly appreciated the creative role of the Armenian Community of Lebanon in political, spiritual and cultural life of Diaspora. He expressed confidence that receiving Armenian passport gives new opportunity for our compatriots to frequently visit Armenia, to participate in the events of All-Armenian importance and with their knowledge, experience and investments - in the development of Motherland.
After the swearing ceremony Ambassador Kocharian and Advisor of the Embassy Karen Matevosyan handed over Armenian passports to more than 200 Lebanese Armenians. More than 60 Syrian Armenians, who temporarily settled down in Lebanon due to the political developments in Syria, recently have also received Armenian passports in the Embassy of the Republic of Armenian in Lebanon.

The ceremony of the presentation of Armenian passports
Welcoming remarks by Ambassador Ashot Kocharian

Dear compatriots, ladies and gentelmen,
I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of the acquiring of Armenian citizenship. I believe that today is a great event for each of you, festive and binding occurrence. I have to mention with deep satisfaction the fact of the raise of most recent interest and confidence among Lebanese Armenians towards Motherland. Vivid manifestation of this fact is an increasing number applicants for Armenian citizenship. If in 2010 only 200 Lebanese Armenians received Armenian citizenship, in 2012 total number has increased for more than 20 times and reached 5000.
Of course it is understandable, that receiving Armenian citizenship doesn’t mean permanent residence. Armenian passport is the direct, legal connection with the state. Armenian passport gives both rights and responsibilities.
We are always proud of our creative and powerful Armenian community of Lebanon. We permanently meet with our compatriots with great pleasure and warmth and closely cooperate with them.
The Armenian-Lebanese friendship is based on one important principle which is the mutual respect of Lebanese Armenians toward the Rebublic of Lebanon and the respect of the Republic of Lebanon towards the Armenian nation.
Armenian Community of Lebanon has been successfully and continuously functioning as the national and political centre of Diaspora, heart of spiritual life and enlightenment. Your community has a glorious history. We are grateful to all the devotees who spared no efforts to establish and preserve many Armenian organizations, cultural and spiritual institutions, churches and schools, youth, benevolent unions, Armenian Centers in Lebanon and they continue their activity nowadays.
You are rich by your spirit and culture, by your rich human potential. In Lebanon 3 branches of religious centers fruitfully function side by side; Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, Armenian Catholic Patriarchate of Cilicia and Armenian Evangelical Church.
Armenian spirit, language, culture and traditions are well preserved in your families. Patriotic activities are being carried out for the benefit of the rise of national and cultural life of the community. There exist love and devotion towards Armenians, Motherland and Armenian Statehood.

I am confident that recieving Armenian passports gives an excellent opportunity for everyone to visit Armenia frequently, to participate in the events of All-Armenian importance and with your knowledge, experience and investments -in the development of Motherland. Today your dreams have realized. You are becoming citizens of free, independent Armenia which is great honour and pride, responsibility for everyone and historic event.
Once again I congratulate all of you and wish all the best.
Long live to the Republic of Armenia! Long live to the citizen of Armenia.

February 14, 2013

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