In Schools, It Will Be Not the Lanzarote Convention That Works, but the Teacher, the Law, and the Parents: Armen Sarkissian

The President of the Republic, Armen Sarkissian, held a working discussion regarding the Lanzarote Convention and related issues. President Sarkissian noted that the aim of the meeting was to foster dialogue on the public concerns surrounding the convention. He emphasized that while he acknowledges the expressed worries, it is crucial to distinguish feelings from reality.

The president highlighted that the signing of the convention does not mark the end of the process but rather the beginning, stressing the importance of the laws to be adopted in the future and their implications. President Sarkissian stated that each member state of the convention should determine and adopt solutions that align with their values, understandings, culture, and perceptions of family, parents, and children.

Pointing out that the convention should be viewed as a declaration of principles, he stressed that more extensive and important work begins after the ratification of the convention. "The concerns surrounding the convention are not merely a phenomenon of Armenia. In European countries, people also have a very cautious attitude toward the convention, and each family, drawing from their own culture and history, is very careful when it comes to issues related to children. We all share a common understanding that children must be protected so that they can grow up mentally free, as this is when individuals are formed. Parents and the community are particularly sensitive to the question of what, when, and how children should be taught," said the president.

The president pointed out that in our society, reactions to phenomena are often very emotional, and when it comes to the time for substantiated and concrete actions, the issue seems to be forgotten, meaning that all energy is consumed in the emotional realm. "But this issue does not deserve to be forgotten. This is a question that, even if you forget, I will not forget," President Sarkissian addressed the meeting participants. "The education and protection of our children are among the most significant issues. It is also important how we educate or whether we educate, and if so, what curriculum we follow. Who is educating the children, and who are the teachers? What are the protocols and guidelines that should be followed in the educational process, among others?"

The president noted that answers to this and many similar questions must be found through both public discussions and concrete proposals resulting from them, which can help ensure that the laws and other legal documents adopted after the signing of the Lanzarote Convention align with our state, national interests, and value system.

He emphasized that clear mechanisms must be created, and representatives of the concerned groups and experts in the field must be involved in the process. The president urged the meeting participants—education expert Anahit Bakhshyan, psychologist Karine Nalchajyan, sexologist physician Narine Nersisyan, lawyer Armine Fanyan, age psychologist Zara Babayan, educator Manushak Stepanyan, programmer Tigran Martirosyan—to focus on concrete solutions and articulate their concerns in the form of proposals, also offering the advisory support of the presidential staff.

"It is in our hands how we relate to the Convention—as a declaration or as a decree subject to mandatory implementation," the president reiterated, emphasizing that the important and essential laws must be adopted as documents ensuring the practical application of the convention. He stressed that these must correspond to our national values and framework. "In schools, it will be not the convention that works, but the teacher, the law, the curriculum, and, of course, the parents," President Sarkissian concluded.

Meeting participants shared their range of concerns, ideas, and proposals, emphasizing the importance of the involvement and oversight of public and professional circles in the further processes of developing documents and mechanisms.