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A lecture by ambassador armen yeganianArmenia: A Brief OverviewFact-sheetIndependent since 1991Third Republic of ArmeniaTotal Area 29,743km2LandlockedPopulation - 3,262,200Government type: Unitary Semi-Presidential Republic

Capital city YerevanNational SymbolsTricolor Flag Red for the the Armenian people's continued struggle for survivalBlue for the the will of the people of Armenia to live beneath peaceful skiesOrange the creative talent and hard-working nature of the people of ArmeniaCoat of ArmsLion and Tiger holding the shield depicting Noahs Ark on Holy Mount Ararat and the Coats of Arms of four Armenian KingdomsNational AnthemOur Fatherland

HistoryLived on Armenian Highlands for millennia Kura-Araxes culture in 4th-3rd millennia B.C.Hayasa-Azzi and Nairi tribes since 2nd millennium B.C.First kingdom Urartu established in 859 B.C. by king AramKingdom of Urartu (Ararat)Flourished in 8th century B.C.Conquered by Medes mid-6th century B.C.Orontid ArmeniaEstablished in late 6th century B.C. as a Satrapy of Achaemenid EmpireIndependent after the conquest of the Empire by Alexander the Great

4HistoryKingdom of Armenia (321 B.C. 428 A.D.)Three dynasties of Orontids, Artaxiads and ArshakidsA vast kingdom between rivaling empires

Historical borders of the Armenian KingdomHistoryA short-lived empire under Tigranes II the Great (95-55 B.C.)Armenia from sea to sea covering territory between Black, Caspian and Mediterranean seasTigranes finishes the mighty Seleucid Empire

Armenia under Tigranes the GreatHistoryFirst Christian countryKing Tiridates III institutes Christianity as state religion in 301Armenian alphabet created in 405 to spread Christianity wider

Etchmiadzin Cathedral, built in 303

Armenian alphabetHistoryMiddle AgesFell to and divided between rivaling East Roman and Persian EmpiresArmenian Kingdom restored in 9th centuryRule of Bagratuni DynastyCapital Ani, that had one thousand and one churchesAnnexed by Byzantium in 1045Nobility moves to Cilicia and establishes a principalityPrincipality turns into powerful Kingdom, ally to CrusadersConquered by Egyptian Mamluks in 1375HistoryNo statehood until 20th centuryTorn between EmpiresArmenia and Armenians forgotten by the worldUnsuccessful liberation movements throughout the centuriesSemi-independent entities in Artsakh and Syunik in 18th centuryHamidian MassacresSystematic slaughters of Armenians by Ottomans in late 1890s Around 300.000 victims to the massacresPrecursor to the Genocide of Armenian peopleArmenian GenocideApril 24, 1915 considered the inception of the GenocideOn that day more than 300 Armenian intellectuals, politicians, clergymen arrested and executed in Constantinople Systematic murder of Armenian population throughout fading EmpireMassacres from 1908 to 1923 killed over 1.5 million ArmeniansArmenians marched with no food or water to Deir-ez-Zor desert of Syria from all over Asia MinorRemnants of Armenian population receive shelter in Syria, Lebanon, Russian Empire (Eastern Armenia) and EuropeSurvivors spread around the globe and are the basis for the vast Armenian DiasporaThe first Genocide of the modern era, paved the way for Holocaust , Genocides in Cambodia, Darfur etc.Modern EraShort-lived First Republic in 1918-192070 years under Soviet UnionRegained long-awaited independence in 1991Young republic, member to various international organizationsTrustful partner to the international communityHas embassies in over 40 countries over the worldIssues with neighboursOver 70% of the borders (Turkey and Azerbaijan) closedOnly route to Europe through Georgia, that has closed borders with RussiaInternational Recognition of GenocideRecognition of Armenian Genocide as a part of foreign policy21 countries and 43 states of the USA have recognizedMost-renowned Genocide-studies organizations recognized and condemned, pushed Turkey to recognizeTurkey persists on the denialist policyCanada recognized Armenian Genocide on all levels House of Commons (1996, 2004), Senate (2002) and Government (2006)Prime Minister addresses Armenians every April 24

Canada-Armenia RelationsRelations in 3 main areasPoliticalEconomicalCultural

In General:Relations based on mutual trustAssistance to each other on International arenaGreat prospects for economic tiesBig cultural ties especially thanks to communityCanada-Armenia Political RelationsArmenia opened Embassy in Ottawa in 1995Embassy situated in a Spanish Colonial Revival style heritage building, built in 1908Friendly cooperation with the state establishmentGovernment as a whole, Department of Foreign Affairs in particularActive cooperation on International levelOrganizations such as UN, UNESCO, OSCE etc.Canada-Armenia Political RelationsParliamentary cooperationParliamentary friendship groups in both Parliaments Canada-Armenia Friendship Group led by Harold Albrecht, M.P.Armenia-Canada Friendship Group led by H.Sahakyan, M.P.Periodical meetings in Armenia or CanadaFriendship group had huge influence on the recognition of Armenian Genocide in CanadaPlanned high-level visit to strengthen parliamentary tiesCanada-Armenia Economic RelationsCanada was top investor in Armenia for the first 9 months of 2012Huge representation in Armenian mining industryMainly non-ferrous metalsGiants like Dundee Precious Metals and Lydian CanadaGrowing cooperation in High-TechGatineau-based Macadamian Technologies Yerevan branch: a success storyThe future of economic ties

Canada-Armenia Cultural TiesArmenian community as a connecting bridgeAround 80.000 Armenian living in CanadaImportant figures: Yousuf Karsh, Atom Egoyan, Isabelle Bayrakdarian, Peter Oundjian etc.Christianity as an important linkMore than 15 Armenian churches throughout CanadaShared valuesProtection of human rights, democracy, rule of law Participation in la Francophonie Full-fledge member since 2012Cooperation for yearsObserver since 2006, Associated Member since 2008Great assistance from Canadian side in the matters of Armenias membershipFrench language in Armenian historyFrench-Armenian dynasty of LusigniansFrench mandate over Cilician ArmeniaFrance one of the main accepting countries for Armenians after the GenocideBig Armenian community of around 500.000 in FranceFinishing remarksArmenia a developing democratic countryMore than 1 million tourists in 2012Safe and beautiful country with thousand years old churches and monasteries

Thank you.

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