On May 31, 2014 “Corruption in Armenia: Solutions and the Role of the Diaspora” Symposium was held in Toronto, Canada, organized on the initiative of Armenian Renaissance Toronto Chapter. The Symposium was marked by a turn from Diaspora’s traditional approach to Armenia’s domestic problems toward a critical approach demonstrated by unconstrained and open discussion on the most vulnerable issue in current Armenia’s reality – corruption, its outcomes and ways to eradicate it. During the symposium, for the first time, filmmaker Atom Egoyan’s short film called "The Illuminator" was screened, which showed how corruption distorts people’s psychology in Armenia.

In her speech Bronwyn Best, Senior Advisor of Transparency International Canada addressed TI activities, as well as corruption situation and manifestations of corruption in Armenia. The information on Armenia was provided to Ms. Best by Executive Director of Transparency International Anticorruption Center Varuzhan Hoktanyan, who was invited as speaker, but was unable to attend the event because of technical reasons.

Among other speakers of the Symposium were Vladimir Shekoyan from Policy Forum Armenia, Washington D.C.; Carolann Najarian, Boston, Massachusetts; Zareh Ouzounian, Berge Minassian (Canada); Artak Zeynalyan and Garegin Chukaszian (Armenia); Kamo Mailyan from “Depopulation of Armenia,” Toronto, Ontario; Vahan Kololian (The Kololian Foundation of Toronto), and others. Participants in the Symposium shared an opinion that the main reason for Armenia’s economic collapse was corruption and it was the representatives of the incumbent regime that were responsible for the current situation in Armenia and the impermissible policy they pursued.