On November 9, in Tallinn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan attended, as a guest of honour, the official ceremony marking the 108th anniversary of the establishment of Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the invitation of Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna.
The event was attended by the President of Estonia, the President of the Estonian Parliament, as well as the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and Sweden.
During the ceremony, Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna awarded Minister Ararat Mirzoyan the First Class Cross of Merit of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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“Dear Margus, dear friend,
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
It is a great honour to join you today in celebrating the 108th anniversary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia and to convey my warmest congratulations and best wishes from Yerevan.
It is a great honour to receive this official decoration. I regard it as a tribute to the journey we have shared and achievements we have made together, and I accept it with a renewed sense of responsibility to deepen the partnership between our states.
What brings us together today goes far beyond this celebration. It is our shared commitment to the fundamental values and principles that inspired our nations more than a century ago and that we continue to cherish and uphold today: independence, sovereignty, and a profound determination to build a democratic, peaceful and prosperous future for our peoples.
In 1918, Estonia’s first diplomats had neither an extensive network of embassies nor the modern means of communication we take for granted today. They certainly did not have the digital tools for which Estonia has since become so widely recognized. But what they did have was a clear sense of purpose, an unwavering belief in their country’s independence, and a remarkable determination to secure its future.
For Armenians, this story resonates particularly deeply. Our First Republic was also born in 1918, amid war and profound upheaval. We, too, know what it means to safeguard sovereignty through resilience and perseverance, and to regard diplomacy as an essential instrument of national survival, continuity of independent statehood, protection of our right to live in peace, democracy and prosperity.
Beyond these shared historical experiences, Armenia and Estonia have some particularly charming examples of connections between our peoples.
In the 19th century, the University of Tartu welcomed Armenian students and intellectuals, some of whom would later make significant contributions to Armenian education, literature and public life. In 1906, the renowned Armenian poet Vahan Teryan wrote his well-known poem “Estonian Song”, inspired by a young Estonian woman.
Such connections remind us that diplomacy is built not only on agreements between governments, but also on the friendships, cultural ties and human bonds that bring our peoples closer together.
Our two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. Today our partnership has entered a new and more ambitious chapter. This April, Estonia opened its resident embassy in Yerevan — a decision we welcomed as a genuine expression of commitment to our bilateral relationship. On that occasion, Margus and I signed a memorandum that marked a new stage in cooperation between our foreign ministries.
Today, on this special occasion, I am particularly delighted to announce that, in the coming months, Armenia will open its own resident embassy here in Tallinn — another important milestone in our growing partnership.
And it is with great pleasure and sincere appreciation that I present my dear colleague and friend, H.E. Foreign Affairs Minister of Estonia, with the First-Class Medal of Honour of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Armenia, in recognition of his personal contribution to building a strong and trusted partnership between our two nations.
Dear Margus, I hope you can join me here for a moment to give me the pleasure of personally presenting your Medal of Honour.
And finally, dear friends, how could I possibly come here on such a wonderful occasion without bringing a little of the Armenian spirit. I hope later today you will enjoy Armenian wine and cognac as we raise our glasses to the enduring statehood of our countries, and the lasting friendship between our nations!
Congratulations. Palju õnne! Thank you”.
