Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Catholicos Garegin II attended the final event of the Armenian Apostolic Church Global Youth Union’s assembly on July 9. Four hundred diasporan Armenians from over 20 countries took part in the event, during which Pashinyan addressed the crowd and answered questions. When asked by one of the participants about his administration’s most important goal, Pashinyan said that one of his greatest objectives is repatriation.

“Essentially, the wheel of emigration has been spinning back from the times of the Bagratunis — it has been spinning and spinning,” Pashinyan said. “Our most important goal is not only to stop this wheel but also to reverse it.”

Pashinyan noted that it gave him great joy to see his fellow “brothers and sisters” in Armenia.

“We want you to give this happiness to Armenia more and more often. We want you to be here on the occasion of pilgrimage, without the occasion of pilgrimage, be with your sisters, brothers, parents, relatives, be here long and often,” Pashinyan said. “This is our goal, Armenia is a country which is the fatherland of all of us.”

Armenia’s development is a huge priority for his government, according to Pashinyan.

“There is no other goal, which in my opinion has sense in serving for than the goal that Armenia should be the best place for living in the world legally, economically, politically and socially,” Pashinyan said.