Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the official opening of the first working day of the Third Global Armenian Summit at the Meridian Exhibition and Event Center. Welcoming the participants, Pashinyan presented the ideology of Real Armenia, emphasizing that it centers on the state. “The ideology of Real Armenia is about the state. The state is the most important thing we, as a people, can have. There is nothing more important than the state, and all our efforts, actions, goals and perceptions are, and must be, connected with the state—the Republic of Armenia, its interests and its vision of continuity,” the Prime Minister said. Pashinyan outlined his vision for the country’s long-term future, saying that the state must be developed into an instrument of security, prosperity and freedom for its citizens and passed on from one generation to the next. Addressing criticism of the ideology, the Prime Minister said that such criticism was viewed as an important test of its viability. “We always hear these criticisms and try to respond to them, considering them an important challenge for the ideology of Real Armenia itself. If an ideology is ready and able to answer questions, it means it is viable. If there are questions it cannot answer and no such questions emerge or are formulated in the future, it means there is a problem with the viability of that ideology,” he said. Responding to claims that the ideology seeks to distort Armenian identity, Pashinyan strongly rejected the criticism, arguing that the opposite was true. “We not only disagree with this characterization, but are convinced that the ideology of Real Armenia is precisely about protecting, preserving and developing our identity. The ideology of Real Armenia states that our state is our identity, and conversely, our identity is our state,” he said. According to Pashinyan, Armenia should be perceived as the homeland, and the homeland should be understood as the state. He described this as the best model for building a stronger country. The Prime Minister stressed that the ideology of Real Armenia is based on the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia, which covers 29,743 square kilometers. Concluding his remarks, Pashinyan addressed what Armenia can offer the Diaspora, saying that the Republic of Armenia can offer it one thing: itself. “The Republic of Armenia offers itself to the Diaspora as a homeland, a state with all its attributes. This homeland offers the Diaspora love, but also respect; respect, but also love. That is why we say that citizens must love their homeland, citizens must love the state, and the state must love its citizens,” he said. Pashinyan noted that Armenia is redefining its relations with the Diaspora and highlighted the establishment of the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. He also pointed to the appointment of more than a dozen diaspora affairs commissioners in communities abroad. According to the Prime Minister, these commissioners represent Armenia in its relations with the Diaspora and convey the Diaspora’s messages to the Republic of Armenia. He described the system as one that accurately reflects the relationship between homeland and state. “Welcome to the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan told the participants. The Prime Minister also answered questions from attendees. The Third Global Armenian Summit, organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, is being held on November 5-8. It has brought together 800 participants, including 600 representatives from the Diaspora and 200 from Armenia. The summit aims to discuss key issues on the Armenia-Diaspora agenda, expand multifaceted cooperation, engage the potential of the Diaspora in Armenia’s development, and create new opportunities for cooperation aligned with the country’s national priorities. The four-day event features panel discussions, roundtables, the Global Armenian Expo and presentations covering democracy, security, education, science, artificial intelligence, investment, philanthropy, culture and other areas.