Armenia’s 2024 peace time heroes

Vahe H Apelian

“The Hero of Our Times (2024)” was held at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex in Yerevan.

The event was attended by the President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan with his wife Anna Hakobyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan, the President of the Constitutional Court Arman Dilanyan, representatives of the legislative, executive, judicial, local self-government bodies and other officials.

“The Hero of Our Times” program was prepared by the Public Relations and Information Center of the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Armenia. After paying due homage to the Aremnian armed forces and to those who were maytyred, 12+1 awards were presented. 

The Minister of Education, Science and Higher Education Zhanna Andreasyan welcomed the attendees. She emphasized that as the head of the state department in the field of education, she particularly notes the importance of education, science, in alleviating the needs of the country and in the burden over the government by providing opportunities for employment in Armenia, where there will be bread to stay.

The main award was presented to the 13^th recipient Armen Mardirosian, by the PM Nikol Pashinyan who made a speech and congratulated everyone on the occasion of the award ceremony.

The recording I watched, which covered the whole event from the beginning to the end was 2 hours and 13 minutes long and was enriched with music, and dance. Each award was presented by a different person, two of whom were the last year’s recepients. A few of the recepients were visibly emotional.

It was a pleasure for me to watch the program this year as well. It is a shame that Diaspora Armenian schools, and organizations for young and upcoming have not made a habit of presenting the recorded program of Armenia's peace time heroes to their students and their young members. A win-win endeavor. 

Attached are the 12+1 award winners in the order of their coming onto the stage to receive their awards after being introduced to the audience,  I screen shot. 

1.   Avetis Yeganyan and Gohar Tadevosyan - Ավետիս Եգանյան եւ Գոհար Թադեվոսյան - Founders of Avetis Arts & Crafts Store of leather goods.

 

2.    Mamikon and Ashot Mikayelyans - Մամիկոն եւ ԱշոտՄիքայելյաններ, sculpturing, metal art works. 

 

3.    Harutyun Arakelyan - Յարություն Առաքելեան, an award winning boxer who runs a boxing school for children. His boxing philosophy is to respect the opponent and have the opponent respect the person. 

 

4.   Arpine Ghukasyan - Արփինէ Ղուկասյան fashion designer and dress maker. 

 

5.   Edgar Abrahamyan - Էդգար Աբրահամյան – manufacture of flags and everythign related to flags. 

 

6.   Armen Avetyan and Tartevik Khachatryan - Արմեն Ավետյան եւ Տարթեվիկ խաչատրյան- engineers who run a school teaching robotics to children.

 

7.   Tigran Gyulumyan - Տիգրան Գյուլումյան – actor, director of open-air theater in rural Armenia.

 

8.   Karine Musikyan - Կարինե Սուսիկյան – A graduate of Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas runs her own vocal studio teaching children Armenian folk song. Her students  performed during the ceremony singing a song from Sayat Nova.

 

9.   Tatevik Ghaltakhchyan - Տաթեւիկ Ղալթախչյան – Runs her own TEVQ art studio of hanhandmade jewelry and ceramics and teaches the young the art.

 

 

10.                  Ashot Safaryan - Աշոտ Սաֆարյան -After finishing his studies in Yerevan, he returned to his native village Vosgevan and founded IT OK teaching computer graphics to the local kids. 

11.                 Asya and Armen Grigoryans - Ասյա եւ Արմեն Գրիգորյաններ – A father and daughter team who design and manufacture children’s shoes.

12.                 Eric Hakhverdyan - Էրիկ Հախվերդյան runs an echo friendly organic gardening in his native village Pertavan.

13.                 Armen Martirosyan Արմեն Մարտիրոսյան – considers public health his mission and life's work. Through the «Children's Heathg Foundationn of Armenia», he founded he helps children with serious heath problemns receive treatment. 

Note: the video for those interested to watch.