Friday, 23 June 2006
Address by Republic of Armenia Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan to Participants of 2nd International Symposium Entitled
I welcome the participants and the guests of the 2nd international symposium entitled "The Armenian national epos and worldwide epic patrimony."
The greatest achievement of folkloric creativity of all peoples is the epos as a highly artistic assembly of national and universal values. It is the reflection of the inner world, national thinking and collective ideology of a people, the confirmation of its origin, the concentration of national dreams and aspirations.
The epos "Sasna Tsrer," consisting of four branches, is the evidence of immeasurable kindness and humanity, boundless patience and resistance, creative and heroic spirit of our people. During centuries the legendary images of heroes of the epos and the symbol of Thour Ketzaki inspired our people on protection of the national originality and the right on existence, on achievement of historical victories in battlefields.
It is not casual that this symposium has become traditional and, by available in reports of the previous conference to the deep analysis and responses to them, applies for beginning a pledge of studying of the cultural heritage of various nations of the world, an exchange of the wide experience which has been saved up in this sphere, the further mutually advantageous scientific - practical cooperation.
I believe that this symposium is also important as seen in the context of present imperatives, as serious means for preservation of originality of cultures and a folklore variety in conditions of cultural globalization and integration of peoples, for scientific knowledge of different peoples
