Ara Papian
Ara Papian was a ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Canada.
Born in Yerevan, Armenia on June 6, 1961, Ara Papian successfully graduated from the Department of Oriental Studies of Yerevan State University in 1984. He completed postgraduate degree course of studies in Armenian History at Yerevan State University in 1989. In 1994, Mr. Papian graduated from the Moscow Diplomatic Academy and in 1998, from NATO Defense College in Rome. In 1999, he completed a course in Public Diplomacy in Wilton, United Kingdom. His professional experience as a diplomat has been at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia where prior to his appointment to Canada in December 2000, he was the spokesman and Head of Public Affairs Department. His previous positions with the Armenian Foreign Ministry were a second secretary of the US and Canada Division of the American Department (1991-92), Head of Iran Division of the Middle East Department (1994-95), and Head of Security Cooperation Division of the Security Issues and Arms Control Department (1997-99). Mr. Papian was previously posted to the Armenian Embassy in Tehran, Iran (1992-1993, second secretary) and the Armenian Embassy in Bucharest, Romania (1995-1996, second secretary; 1997, Charge d'Affaires). Prior to joining the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Mr. Papian was a Professor of the Armenian language and literature at Melkonian Educational Institute in Nicosia, Cyprus In 1981-82 and then in 1984-1986, Mr. Papian served as a military interpreter/translator in Afghanistan. He is fluent in Armenian, Russian, English, Persian. Mr. Papian is married, with two sons.