President Armen Sarkissian has congratulated Armenians around the world on the occasion of Republic Day, celebrated May 28th.  The holiday marks the 1918 establishment of the First Republic of Armenia, the first modern Armenian state since the loss of Armenian statehood in the Middle Ages.

“Dear compatriots,

I extend my cordial congratulations on the occasion of Republic Day.

Today, the Armenian nation celebrates the holiday of the restatement of statehood which has a centuries-long history. We celebrate our Republic Day which signifies the struggle and victories, the unbreakable will of the Armenian people.

The road, which the Armenian nation passed during the formation of the Armenian identity and in the process of the establishment and maturing of the Armenian statehood, is heroic and glorious; our losses only strengthened our desire to live, our mind was channeled towards creation, our power was aimed at establishing peace.

Let’s be grateful to all those who in 1918 had created the First Armenian Republic, from 1920 – the Soviet Armenia, and in 1991 reestablished the independent Republic of Armenia, to all those who for almost three decades have been preserving it.

Security and sustainable development of Armenia and the Armenian people is a pan-national issue. And pan-national issues can be addressed only through the pan-national efforts, utilizing the entire potential and abilities of Armenia, Artsakh, and Spyurk.

We need to form a General National Agenda with the common, paramount issues of vital significance and priorities; each and every one of us should be involved in the process of the decision making of our common issues.

With this regard, the role of our youth is indispensable. Today, I appeal to the younger generation which lives in Armenia, Artsakh, in different corners of the world and urge them to unite on the soil of our independent Homeland. Today you have the best opportunity to live and advance on your own land, to reckon and dream about tomorrow, to make Fatherland a unified idea and a powerful and viable state unit. We cannot be content with the achievements we had in the past; today we have a historic chance to make our country even better, to make our country even stronger and more than ever we can and we must, all together to make the triple power and potential of Armenia, Artsakh, and Spyurk [Diaspora] serve Armenia.

Congratulations to all in Armenia, Artsakh, and Spyurk on this holiday. Peace, victory, and success to us all and each of us, to our country, to our people, to each family, to each citizen. I am confident that the history of the next centuries of our statehood will be signified by the unity of Armenian nation, new success and victories achieved through the creative labor.

God bless us all,” President Sarkissian said in the message published on his official website.