were landowners or farmers. Egyptian Armenians were relatively prosperous compared to Armenians in other Middle Eastern countries; of the 150,000 Middle Eastern Armenians who emigrated to Soviet Armenia between 1946 and 1948, only 4,000 were Egyptian. After the 1952 revolution led by Gamal Abdel Nasser many Armenians began to emigrate to Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. After the 1952 Revolution A reverse migration, not to the original homelands, but rather to the West, was observed among Armenian Egyptians starting in around 1956. 1956 saw the introduction of what are called the “Socialist Laws” in Egypt and the nationalization of many economic sectors under the Nasser regime. Since Armenian Egyptians at that time worked predominantly in the private sector and tended to monopolize basic professions and trade markets, the so-called Socialist Laws affected them more than those working in the government or in agriculture. Many migrants concluded – mistakenly or correctly – that they were threatened by the new policies of the Nasser regime and many left Egypt and migrated to the West. Since 1956 the total number of Armenian Egyptians has decreased. Accurate figures of how many left and how many are still there are not available since questions on ethnicity have not been included in censuses since the 1952 revolution. Present day Most Egyptian Armenians today, who are permanent residents of Egypt, were born in Egypt and are Egyptian citizens. Armenia to them is the collection of folkloric stories and cultural practices that each generation hands to its successor. Armenian Egyptians are full Egyptians with an extra cultural layer. They number around 6,000 and live primarily in Cairo. Today structures such as clubs, schools, and sports facilities reinforce communications among Armenian Egyptians and revive the heritage of their forefathers. In spite of these efforts, many Armenian Egyptians of the youngest generation (and who are mostly the result of marriages between the Armenian community and other Egyptians - whether Christian or Muslim) do not speak the Armenian language, or go to Armenian schools, and are not in touch with their heritage or community. The Armenian Church and the apolitical structure of the Armenian community have a very important role in unifying Armenians in Egypt. Unlike Armenian minorities in Syria and Lebanon, Armenian Egyptians stay out of local politics. The Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Egypt, which is under the jurisdiction of Holy Etchmiadzin, is the primary