Will Western Armenian Be Taught in Schools? Legislative Initiative to Be Presented

I am preparing to present a legislative initiative regarding Western Armenian. This was stated by Narine Tukhikyan (Khachatryan), a member of the National Assembly from the "My Step" faction, in an interview with NEWS.am.

“UNESCO has recognized Western Armenian as an endangered language. I believe that Armenia is the guarantor of the preservation and spread of Western Armenian, not the diaspora. We have a state that is obliged to protect its cultural treasures, and the greatest and most precious treasure is language. Currently, we use Eastern Armenian and maintain it, but Western Armenian, whose speakers do not live in Armenia, are abroad. Of course, many came to Armenia after the wars in Iraq and Syria, but now they speak more Eastern Armenian than Western Armenian,” she noted.

The MP emphasized that the mechanism for state protection of the language could be legislative regulations: “One of the mechanisms is the application of educational mechanisms; Western Armenian should be taught as a subject in Armenian schools. Every Armenian should be a bearer of Western Armenian; no Armenian should be unfamiliar with this language. Now, many Armenians have come from Syria, and Syrian Armenian children faced issues going to school, as the locals did not understand them, and they did not understand the local Armenians either. We are the same nation, and not understanding each other is unacceptable.”

She also added that there is wonderful literature in Western Armenian that should not be lost: “Let us not forget that there is beautiful literature in Western Armenian, which we lose the opportunity to enjoy if we lose the language.”

In concluding her remarks, the MP noted that it is still unclear whether she will present a separate bill or a proposal to amend the existing law.