AZG DAILY, 10 JUNE. There could hardly be found an Armenia that would not like to see Lake Van, Armenian towns of Mush, Kars or the medieval capital of Armenia Ani (now in Turkey). This was a dream for decades not only for Armenians from Armenia proper but also for Armenians in Diaspora. It has been now six years since this dream came true, due to a local travel agency called Ani Tour, which began sending small groups of Armenians, usually of 8-10 people, to Turkey. The trips to, as its chief Volodya Arushanian says, «our sources,» have made the agency known in all countries with strong Armenian communities.

Before starting their project, the agency’s managers had traveled through all these sites, met with local Turkish authorities and officials of travel agencies. Volodya Arushanian organized mutual visits to Turkish provinces of Kars and Erzerum and Armenian province of Shirak. Arushanian himself is the author and coordinator of a program for cooperation between two neighbor provinces of Kars and Shirak.

Ani Tour is advertising both in Armenia and Diaspora. Last summer Arushanian traveled to the USA to meet with Primates of the Armenian Church in America, spoke on the local Armenian TV channels, was interviewed by US-Armenian newspapers and presented the details of his program. An arrangement had been reached with Los Angeles branch of Levon Travel to send the first group of 100 US Armenians this June, but the trip was postponed as a result of Iraq war.

Arushanian’s agency sent to Turkey many prominent Armenian scientists, writers, historians. This year it is organizing a trip to the village of Narek, the birthplace of prominent 10-th century Armenian poet Grigor Narekatsi, the author of Sad Psalms. Under a decision of the Armenian government, this year is marking the thousandth anniversary of the poem.

Ani Tour’s partner in Turkey is Tover Traveli, led by a Turkish Armenian Tigran Altun. Ani Tour organizes also one-day trips for Armenians to the border with Turkey, from where they can see the ruins of Ani City.