The President of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Sargsyan, has sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of independence, which we present below.-
“Dear compatriots,
I congratulate you on the occasion of our most important state holiday, Independence Day.
On 21 September 1991, united and confident, we said “yes” to independence.
The dreams we had when striving for independence and declaring independence are a reality in the form of our independent statehood.
However, this path continues. For us, as a people and a state, much still lies ahead—new programmes, new goals, new victories.
For this, we must have a clear vision, an achievable plan, as well as firm will. The future is born from the decisions and efforts deriving from these, from the sum of our thinking and consciousness, our work, resting upon our national and moral values, our history, our heritage.
Only the individual, society, and people who do not forget and who value their past and traditions, culture and language, who look forward and sense the times, can develop both their spiritual and material, as well as their real and abstract world.
However much the world changes, the foundation of its foundations will always be goodness, compassion, the striving for justice and truth—everything upon which our national value system is based.
Our brothers and sisters—whether soldier or freedom fighter, doctor or intellectual, farmer or writer from Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora—all those who have struggled and devoted themselves to the Homeland, to Armenia and Artsakh, who have sacrificed themselves for the sake of its independence, bequeath to us all: to spare nothing for the present and the future.
I bow before them.
Dear compatriots,
Today, by our side, we again have devotees who guard the border of our culture and science, our health and education, who are the bearers and protectors of our national identity and values, who invest their efforts in the strengthening of the homeland, in the security of the native land—from the soldier to the healthcare worker, from the scientist to the IT specialist, from the teacher of a remote village to the kindergarten educator, from the wheat grower to the baker, from the musician to the athlete, from the innovator to the archaeologist…
The fate of the homeland depends on all of us and each one of us, on our ability to be responsible, to assume responsibility, on our solidarity, unity, our kindness and tolerance towards one another.
We must unite.
Let us act together, however different our ways of thinking, worldviews and perceptions may be.
Independence Day must be the symbol of our nationwide unity:
Let us protect and strengthen our Homeland, Armenia and Artsakh, as the axis and cornerstone of our national aspirations.
Peace and prosperity to our Homeland and people.
Long live the Republic of Armenia.
Long live the Republic of Artsakh.
Long live the united Armenian people.
Long live the citizen of the Republic of Armenia.
May God protect us all”:
