28 October 2014, Yerevan, Armenia – The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Armenian Ministry of the Diaspora signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collectively reinforce the advancement of Western Armenian. It was signed at the Ministry’s offices in Yerevan, between and Razmik Panossian, who was representing Martin Essayan (Trustee of the Foundation).

This agreement is one element in the wider programmes of the Armenian Communities Department in the promotion of Armenian language and culture, and is in addition to its other academic and civil society engagements in Armenia. The agreement is for three years. The Foundation’s contribution is 75,000 Euro (approximately 100,000 USD) for the first year.

The agreement stipulates the following broad range of activities: assistance to initiatives undertaken by the Educational Centre for Learning Western Armenian in Armenia, and other similar entities; support for a scholarship programme for diasporan Armenian students wishing to pursue a course in Armenian Studies within a university in Armenia. Moreover, the Foundation and the Ministry will undertake to coordinate their respective efforts in the publication and dissemination of learning materials (in print or electronically) of the Western Armenian language, as well as periodically updating each other of their respective activities.