In China, teachers are held in high regard – Ani Margaryan

The Armenian community in China is diverse, Ani Margaryan, a participant in the Diaspora Youth Ambassador Program in China, told Alpha News.

According to her, the community was established at different periods by Armenians who settled in China from Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Australia, Canada, and other countries.

Ani Margaryan noted that a significant part of the community members are teachers, lecturers, researchers, and IT specialists.

“Our problem is that we are scattered across different cities in China. When you travel, you find that even in the smallest city there is an Armenian in some school who is trying to preserve their identity,” Ani Margaryan said.

Speaking about the preservation of the Armenian language in China, she noted that there is no Armenian school there, and at present it is important for the Armenians living there to have such a school. According to her, China places great value on education and the role of teachers.

“I would like our society to have sincere respect for teachers. When I travel and mention that I am a teacher, I am met with great respect. Once, when I was in a famous Chinese restaurant and there was a long line, I was allowed to move ahead after they learned that I teach. All this has been ingrained in Chinese culture for thousands of years,” she said.