Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took part in the award ceremony of the second sport of the "Cup of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia", the amateur cross-country race in Etchmiadzin.

The cross-country race was held on the Yerevan-Etchmiadzin road, about 1500 citizens participated in different age groups: 15-17 years old girls, boys who covered 3 km, women 18-35 years old, men 18-40 years old, who ran 10 km, and women over 36 and men over 41, whose running distance was also 10 km.

The winners in different age groups were awarded by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Vahram Dumanyan, Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan, Governor of Armavir Hambardzum Matevosyan and the Mayor of Etchmiadzin Diana Gasparyan. The Prime Minister also presented awards to the oldest runners in the women's and men’s races, 73-year-old Shushanik Poghosyan and 79-year-old Khachatur Prkhoyan.

PM Pashinyan congratulated all the winners, prize-winners and participants of the tournament and noted that this tournament can be also considered successful. “During this period, I was constantly thinking how many citizens would apply for participation. I needed the answer to that question not for statistics, but to understand whether the citizens of Armenia need this initiative. The fact that today we had over 1500 participants, gives the answer to that question. Yes, citizens need this initiative. Yes, the tournament is called "Prime Minister's Cup", but I think it is obvious that we do not hold it for the Cabinet members, but for the citizens of Armenia and not only for them, because we want to support and encourage our compatriots to set tasks for themselves and solve them.

Walking along this path, I realized that not only sport but also its content is important. I want focus on the content here, because the person submits an application, sets a task, crosses the line, which is called the start, overcomes the obstacle, in this case the road and solves the problem, reaches his destination and crosses the other line, where it’s written “finish”. I want the life of our country to be organized by this very logic: we must set goals for ourselves, have the courage, the determination to cross the line called the “start”, have the consistency, determination, strength, to overcome the path, and finally reach the goal," Nikol Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister thanked all the citizens who responded to this initiative, adding that it will be continuous. According to the Prime Minister, there will be at least 4 such tournaments during the year with their prize funds. The Prime Minister informed that there is already a participant who has received a prize of more than 1 million AMD in the last two months.

“A table tennis tournament will be held in the near future, and a swimming tournament will be organized next summer in Lake Sevan. This year’s tournaments are dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Armenia, with them we must show our devotion to our statehood, our sovereignty, our independence. We must be able to set tasks, overcome the path and reach the goal. Today, this philosophy and concept is emphasized”, the Prime Minister said.

The award-winning boys and girls of the first age group received computers. A prize of 1 million AMD is set for the winners of the second and third age groups, 600 thousand AMD for the second place, 400 thousand drams for the third place, 150 thousand drams for the fourth place, 100 thousand drams for the fifth place. Monetary incentives are envisaged for those who take the 6th-10th places - 75 thousand AMD each, for the 11th-20th places - 50 thousand AMD each. In addition, the participants who won 1-3 places in the 3 age groups of the tournament were awarded with certificates, cups and medals of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.

The purpose of holding the "Prime Minister's Cup" tournament is to popularize running and healthy lifestyle in the country, and the promotion of physical culture and sports among the population.

On September 19 of the current year, amateur road cycling tournament "Cup of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia" had taken place.