PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN HANDED 2009 STATE AWARDS IN THE AREAS OF LITERATURE AND ART

president.am
Jan 22 2010
Armenia

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan handed 2009 state awards to a group
of professionals for their achievements in the areas of literature
and art as well as music, visual arts, architecture, and urban
development. The winners were nominated for the awards by their
respective professional Unions.

The President of Armenia congratulated the winners and expressed
satisfaction with the fact that this ceremony has become a good
tradition. "This is a very pleasing duty for me on behalf of the
people and the state to once again express gratitude and appreciation
to those individuals, who develop our culture, who, at least in the
contemporaries’ opinion, have been able to create lasting works.

Undoubtedly, time is the best judge; however we, the contemporaries,
should offer our appreciation to the individuals who have been able
to breathe a new life into our centuries-long cultural traditions. If
we are remiss to do it, it means that we are not appreciative and
are not able to recognize the good when we see it.

I believe that in the recent years the bulk of the works honored with
the state awards, have really been able to withstand the test of time,
I am sure of it.

With this regard, I would like to thank the Chairmen and members of
the commissions, who know extremely well all the difficulties you went
through. In a small country, with our mentality and our traditions it
is extremely difficult to make choices, and I am glad that they were
able to display a principled approach. With this regard, it is not only
acceptable but also agreeable that the members and the Chairpersons of
the commissions put forward their proposals regarding the awards. We
gladly take them into consideration," the President of Armenia said.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that the time has come to extend the field
for state awards and establish two new nominations – in the areas
of precise and natural sciences as well as humanitarian and social
sciences. President Sargsyan informed that it has also been decided
to increase the award fund and to double the financial component of
the award.

He also said that even though the global economic and financial crisis
had a severe impact on the economy of Armenia and its consequences have
not been overcome yet, the state ought not to forget the importance
of literature, culture, and science and prove it not only by words
but also in practical terms.

The President of Armenia wished the recipients of the awards great
artistic enthusiasm, high spirits, and multiple happy creative moments.

The winners expressed their gratitude to the President of Armenia
for the state’s continued attention toward the cultural life of the
Republic and noted that that attitude was the best incentive for
achieving new creative heights.