The Government of the Republic of Armenia

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan attended an International Students' Day-dated festive event that was held in the sports complex after Karen Demirchyan.

Congratulating the students on the occasion, the Premier stated as follows:

“Dear youth,

I congratulate you on the International Students’ Day, as well as on the World Youth Day as marked a few days ago.

You are at an enviable age, when everything is still to come and you cherish a lot of dreams and plans. I wish you much courage in pursuit of your dreams and goals. Do not be afraid of bold goals, but be sure that their implementation requires a lot of dedication and hard work.

Almost every day I meet and talk to either domestic or foreign businessmen who are going to expand their business or make investment in Armenia. Almost everyone has the same motivation to work in our country: they insist on being able to provide quality products. This is really true, because our people like working. They are fond of doing dedicated and creative work.

This innate talent - our people’s love for hard work - is Armenia’s best asset. It did not come at once: we have always been like that.

Either you have the same talent, even if you have not yet realized that. You are going to be good workers and leaders, such as your parents and grandparents. Now your diligence has to be manifested in learning so that you could lead the country and economy tomorrow.

But do not think we have to wait until you grow up to solve the problems of our country. Do not event dream of it; we will hand over quite a different country to you. Today, we are expanding our sales markets. Tomorrow new products will come to complement our export potential.

Dear youth,

The alternation of generations is a law of nature. Every generation has a mission that is often radically different from that of the previous generation. But in many ways they are similar as they are meant to be continued. Be worthy of doing good deeds, not by inertia. To do so you need to be qualitatively different: you ought to be stronger both psychologically and mentally. Live your time, with the criteria of your time.

Boldly go against outdated traditions. But remember the indisputable message engraved on the stones: family, loyalty, morality and patriotism are timeless and will never grow obsolete. The family is the first and the last bastion of the nation. If we undermine its foundations, we will have neither Armenia, nor Armenian nation or personal happiness.

As we try to understand why youth and students get to fight from time to time in different countries, we can see that they are waging a struggle for justice. Yes, while justice is an abstract word, it appears to be different in the perceptions of different generations.

You need to be more accommodating in your attempts to impose your own perception of justice in professional activities or other areas.

This is important firstly because uncompromised debate leads to nowhere. And, secondly, you may know that many nations were ruined or checked on the path of development just because they tried to impose justice without listening to each other.

Persuade, preach and advocate what you believe to be right, because tomorrow you and your kids will live in the environment you are building today.

Proactive young people striving for changes cannot be a nuisance; just the opposite: they are the key drivers of development. Moreover, they are more sympathetic than the old revolutionary.

Reiterating my congratulations, I wish you every success in learning and private life.”