Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today attended the 10 Best Athletes 2019 awards ceremony. Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Araik Harutyunyan and renowned sport figures were in attendance.

Addressing the event, the Prime Minister stated:
“Honorable Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport,
Honorable President the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Sport and Diaspora Affairs,
Dear Olympic champions of all times,
Dear athletes, coaches,
Statesmen,

I am glad for this meeting. It is the practical start of our political declaration that the development of sport is of strategic importance for the Republic of Armenia. Yesterday I said at the government meeting that we are now developing the strategy for the development of Armenia by 2050, and we attach particular importance to sport in our vision of development. We expect to have at least 25 Olympic gold medals by 2050.

Many may consider that the bar is set too high, but this cannot dissuade us, instead it is inspiring because there is a crucial prerequisite for being a champion - not wanting to do what is possible but wanting to do what is impossible. And I see today’s event as a gathering of such individuals who set challenging rather than feasible tasks. What matters most here is to make feasible what seemed to be impossible not only at the individual level, but also at the national level, in general.

In this regard, I consider that the development of sport in Armenia is extremely important, because I believe that the achievements of our athletes in the international arena are not only their individual achievements, not only the success of their coaches and sports schools, they rather strengthen the confidence of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people in their own forces.

This is the essential meaning of sport and sporting achievement for us. And we want that, as a result of our common work, we could increase our people’s confidence in their own capabilities, and we can increase the confidence of every citizen of the Republic of Armenia and the Artsakh Republic in their own power. By saying this, I mean that the mission of our athletes, being a very important sports mission, is also a national and state mission. At least, that is how we perceive it, and that is why we have made a political decision to support sport and our athletes, and to do our best for the development of sport in Armenia.

I attach great importance to the role of sport in terms of education and values, because I have had the opportunity to say many times that unfortunately, the influence of pseudo-cultures is still fairly strong among young people in Armenia.

I also see the role of our champions in that they become exemplary, inspiring young people to trust their own strengths and showing them the heights that can reach not only each individual, but also the whole nation.

I am convinced that each of you knows the pride of the Armenian people when your victories raise the flag of the Armenian State and ring the national anthem. I want to describe a very important political slogan in this scene: “We are fighting and working for a free and happy Armenia.”
We are usually asked what happiness is, what do you mean by happiness? I believe that happiness is not a permanent and ever-present process; happiness, including public happiness, is the moments of happiness that we experience as a state, as a people.... And in this regard, I also attach great importance to the development of sport in Armenia and to the victories of our athletes on local and international platforms.

We all understand that the champions are not champions from birth: they have to work hard to become a champion. Even if they were born with qualities of champion, it is very important for us to be able to develop sport and sports infrastructure in Armenia, have good sports schools, sports equipment, encourage competent coaches. And it is very important to stress that our government is paying special attention to this issue

Last year, with a government decision, we decided to buy as much sportswear as we had not purchased in the past 4-5 years. And this was done to mark our political declarations that sport in Armenia is of strategic importance.

And I mean, what do we expect from all this? We hope that the sport community and the government of the Republic of Armenia will become allies in partnership with the strategic vision of Armenia’s development.

I would like to assure you that the Government of the Republic of Armenia will do its utmost to make you feel the State’s backing. I would like to thank you for all your achievements, which have increased our national pride and allow me to express confidence that we will witness many moments of joy, happiness, and power.

I congratulate our best athletes of 2019, congratulate their coaches, congratulate and thank the entire Armenian sports community for the services rendered to the homeland. And I want to assure you that the Government will be able to properly assess your services. Thank you. I wish you all the best.”

Prime Minister Pashinyan personally awarded the 10 best athletes of the year: Arthur Alexanyan, Slavik Galstyan, Rouben Alexanyan, Simon Martirosyan, Gor Minasyan, Hakob Mkrtchyan, Arthur Avetisyan, Hovhannes Bachkov, Tigran Kirakosyan, and Arsen Harutyunyan.

Double winner of Olympic Games, European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship, three-time world champion, Honorable Master of Sport Armen Nazaryan was awarded First-Degree Order for Valuable Services to the Motherland. A group of coaches received special awards for significant contribution to Armenian sport.