Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the closing ceremony of the Step Homeward educational program in Tsaghkadzor, About 400 young people from 25 countries partook in the program which started on August 10, 2018.
Addressing the participants of the program, the Prime Minister noted: “The phrase “country of my dreams” sounds in many songs. We have been dreaming of our homeland both inside Armenia and abroad. That dream of ours has already become a reality for Armenians in the Republic of Armenia, and the time has come when it should come true for our compatriots living in the Diaspora as well. I want you to take along the seeds of repatriation, the need to return to Armenia, the consciousness of returning to Armenia, the love of returning to Armenia, the civil position of returning to Armenia, because I believe that every Armenian is a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, and now I have the honor to address you as a proud citizen of the Republic of Armenia.
It is time to make our Promised Land real, and the need to return to Armenia should be talked about every day in your families. I want to reiterate that if not your parents, then at least you, and if not you, then your children must return to their homeland. The Minister of Diaspora said that Armenia is the destination of love, Armenia is a country for love, but I also want to say that Armenia is a country for life. It is a country to live in, develop, create, get rich and enrich others with new ideas, love and power. And I am convinced that today, looking at each other’s eyes, looking at each other, loving each other, we are becoming stronger. And, therefore, long live freedom, long live the Republic of Armenia, long live we and our children who are to live in a free and happy Armenia.”
Then the Prime Minister answered various questions of youth, which concerned the establishment of justice in Armenia, the rule of law, the creation of new jobs, etc. Nikol Pashinyan stressed that equality before the law is already a reality in Armenia. “Today no one can be out of law; no one can think that he can have more rights than anyone else. Equality of all before the law is the cornerstone of justice. Our most important task is to create conditions for work, progress and prosperity. Every day, every hour, Armenia is growing into a more equitable State than it was before,” the Prime Minister said.
Answering the question of a young man from the Diaspora who wondered whether Nikol Pashinyan was not afraid that the Armenian people were that full of trust and hope for him, the Prime Minister said: “I recently posted an article on my Facebook page, which was written as early as in 2010 as I was serving a sentence in the Artik penitentiary. The article was entitled “My fear.” It was about what I was afraid of. In this article, I wrote that I am afraid of disappointing people, but my fear cannot make me step back; it is a fear that makes me move forward and take more responsibility day after day, every step that you do.” Nikol Pashinyan stressed that his article ended with the following words: “Do not be afraid, I will not disappoint you.”
The meeting participants thanked the Premier for audience and answering their questions. The Step Homeward educational program is intended for Armenian youth aged 13-21.