FIRST MEETING OF THE NGO POLITICAL GENERATION CHANGE CLUB IN PARLIAMENT
National Assembly of RA
May 8 2009
Armenia
On May 7 on the initiative of a group of politicians and young
people the meeting of the NGO Political Generation Change Club was
held, having on the agenda the issue of approving the declaration
on establishing Political Generation Change Club. Deputies of the
National Assembly, members of NGOs and representatives of media
participated in the meeting.
Mr. Viktor Mnatsakanyan, Chief Adviser of the President of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan read the
address of the President of the National Assembly to the participants
of the founding assembly of the Club of Political Generation Change:
"Welcome to the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia! I greet
your initiative of creating a direct and immediate link between the
active people, who are involved in politics.
You create a new unit, a tool for self-organization of the society. The
National Assembly and me with all my capabilities are ready to promote
the establishment of such independent units and will make all efforts
for it.
Your declared idea, the exchange of experience being accumulated
through generations, is a good and honest one. That street supposes
a two-way movement if the older generation passes its experience to
the young people, then in response to that they expect new ideas,
initiatives and thoughts.
The Armenian community is faithful to traditions. Since our childhood
we have been fed respect towards the elders, who bear knowledge and
experience. Our parents have brought up us in that way. However,
it doesn’t mean that young people should step aside and wait for the
elders to make decisions.
Every citizen, and the young people, first of all, should be
involved in all political processes. Moreover, in active politics
the encouragement of the access of the young generation should be
the elders’ prior problem.
We should work together for the future citizen’s upbringing. And the
citizens of our dreamed Armenia are formed today, may be in this hall.
We, together, must find answers and solutions for the challenges
facing us, using the experience of the older generation and the young
people’s inspiration.
I wish success the Club of the Political Generation Change. I am
confident that it will have its contribution in the strengthening of
our independent statehood and development of our country."
Chairman of the NGO National league of Young Democrats Mr. Koryun
Grigoryan presented the main provisions of the declaration, the goals
and tasks, main principles of the activity of the club, calling upon
the young people to join the initiative and expand the possibilities
of participating in the social-political life and building the future
of the motherland.
Chairman of the Alliance of National Democrats Mr. Arshak Sadoyan
highlighted the initiative with respect to the fulfillment of the
ideas of the political figures of the elder generation with the forces
of the younger generation. He noted that public discussions will be
organized, and opposite views will be presented. He believes that
the idea of the club is a fluent generation change.
Greeting the creation of the club the deputy of the National Assembly
Mrs. Larisa Alaverdyan proposed editing amendments in the provisions
of the declaration. She in convinced that it should be fixed in the
declaration that among the post-Soviet countries the best conditions
and prerequisites are created in Armenia with respect to the exchange
of thoughts and opposition’s expressing opinions. She separated
from each other the notions of physical and ideological generation
change. Highlighting this initiative the writer, publicist Mr. Meruzhan
Ter-Gulanyan believes that the youth should be enthusiastic and
inspired, wish to fulfill the goals of the older generation, for
the implementation of which faith towards the future of the country
is important.
Head of RPA faction Mr. Galust Sahakyan welcomed the initiative and
ensured that he would support the participants. In his opinion the
goal is not to prepare political figures, as the political figures
become as they are on the way of their political activity, simply as
many tribunes of expressing opinions we have, as many reasonable steps
would be, and the society would be ready for the challenges. According
to him, the politics cannot be subjected into generation change:
that is a process, and it should have its followers. In the opinion
of the head of RPA faction, we should try not to make the ideology
younger but make the youth bearers of ideology. In his assessment,
there is not the ideology of liberalism or free thinking among the
young people, but also the ideology of re-thinking of the national
values, which will give new quality to our society.
Mr. Manuk Stepanyan, artist, candidate of historical sciences,
Mr. Aramayis Gevorgyan, Chairman of the Youth Parliament, secretary of
the United Liberal National Party (MIAK) Party Ms. Naira Karapetyan
and other young public figures welcomed the initiative, hoping that
as a result of the meetings it will be possible to awake the civil
initiative among the young people.
Chairman of the Alliance of National Democrats Mr. Arshak Sadoyan
thanked those present for the participation and interesting discussion
and expressed hope that the participant young people of the club will
be active and initiative.