A Pan-Armenian spirit

Published: Saturday September 01, 2007

The opening ceremony of the Pan-Armenia Games, 2007. Photolure

The Fourth Pan-Armenian Games brought young Armenians from all over the world together in Armenia for two exciting weeks.

Some of our staff in Armenia - Associate Editor Maria Titizian, correspondents Armen Hakobyan and Betty Panossian-Ter Sargssian, and intern Elyssa Karanian - spoke to dozens of athletes from all over the world. Some were young people on their first visit to their ancestral homeland. Some were the children of recent emigrants. Others had been to Armenia before, perhaps for earlier Pan-Armenian Games.

The visiting athletes' impressions varied.

A man from Brazil was not impressed with the refereeing. But he added, "These are some of the most beautiful days for us. These games granted us friendship - between us and other teams."

A woman from Argentina complained of language barriers: "I feel that we, Armenians, sometimes have difficulties in communicating," she said. But, she added, "The most essential thing is that you can feel the spirit and make new friends."

A man from Los Angeles had no complaints. He was especially thrilled to have experienced the Armenia-Portugal soccer match in Yerevan, which happened to coincide with the games, and in which the Armenian team managed to hold its own against the top-ranked Portuguese team.

A man from Montreal was outraged at the way people drive in Yerevan. Indeed, every time a pedestrian survives crossing a street in Yerevan, it is a small miracle. But he added: "The main thing is that Armenians come together."

We agree. The main thing is that Armenians come together. And what's more, that they discover the challenges faced by the Armenian nation as well as the exhilaration of being part of a pan-Armenian gathering in the homeland.

This is true of participants from Armenia as well as visiting participants. The games help them see the reality of the larger Armenian world beyond Armenia.

The participants in the games have made connections with fellow Armenians across the globe. Most will probably sustain these connections and come to look at Armenian affairs from a global rather than strictly local perspective. As they remain active in their local communities, they will bring this healthy perspective to their activism.
We were especially touched by stories of visiting athletes who went out beyond the games and found ways to get involved in Armenia. The Glendale team chose a school and helped renovate its gym and bought sports equipment for it.

Another group of athletes kept themselves busy visiting orphanages in Yerevan, kindergartens in neighboring villages and towns, and handing out basketballs, volleyballs, American footballs, and soccer balls to random people, mostly young children. Their group played with the kids, taught them basketball techniques, and introduced them to American football.

The Pan-Armenian Games are a beautiful expression of the pan-Armenian spirit. Kudos to all the athletes and their sponsors for making them possible.