Pastor Fr. Abraham Manuk Malkhasyan, a professor from St. John's University (New York), USA, and Doctor of Theology at Fordham University, gave a lecture on "The Role of the Church in the Community Life of the Diaspora" at the YSU Faculty of History, speaking on the challenges in the Diaspora and activities carried out for the preservation of the Armenian nation by the church.
Mkhitar Gabrielyan, the Dean of the YSU Faculty of History, referring to such lectures, noted. "It is necessary to frequently speak on Diaspora issues in the scientific field. The diaspora is an integral part of Armenia, and as history has shown, despite being artificially divided, the strong connection between Armenia and the Diaspora continues to be preserved. Therefore, organizing events related to the preservation of national values is important both for students and specialists working in the same sphere."
During the lecture pastor Ft. Abraham Manuk Malkhasyan, presenting the spiritual-cultural and scientific-educational activities of the Armenian Church, said. " In the diaspora, we are not on our native land. Settling there for a long time, one can easily forget the national values and indulge in various temptations. Nevertheless, we are trying to show our people that one of the best ways to remain Armenian and preserve national values is to visit the Armenian church, since the Armenian church and the Armenian culture are inextricably linked and perpetuate each other."
Pastor Ft. Abraham Manuk Malkhasyan gave a message to the students to accept the Armenian Diaspora as an inseparable part of Armenia, emphasizing that many people in the Diaspora concern themselves about Armenia. He urged the students to continue self-education even after graduating from the university.
"We live in an area that is at the intersection of cultures of different nations, and cultural interaction is characteristic of the nations of the region. Over the centuries, we have been able to overcome the challenges that our homeland has been facing and preserve our national identity and image precisely due to Christianity and professing true Christian values," he added.
At the end of the lecture, the attendees had the opportunity to put questions to the priest.
It should be noted that among the attendees were students studying "Armenian History", " Diaspora Studies" and "Armenology" master's educational programs, representatives of the teaching staff of the Faculty of History and other persons interested in the topic.
