Disasters Are Temporary, But the Homeland Is Eternal: Message from the Governor of Shirak

The Governor of Shirak, Tigran Petrosyan, delivered a message on the occasion of the remembrance of earthquake victims and Disaster Resilience Day, which we present below.

“Dear residents of Shirak, it has been 32 years since that brutal and terrifying December, when many destinies were distorted and thousands of dreams were shattered. We are reliving the memory of the innocent victims of '88 and the hardships that befell us even today. Just as in those days, now there is no one whose sorrow and pain of loss is not deeply personal.

Years ago, our nation, and especially the people of Shirak, looked with determination toward the future, prepared to confront suffering, without succumbing to it. This trial that has befallen the Armenian experience must also be overcome, and we must stand firm on our motherland, just as we did after the catastrophic earthquake.

This day of remembrance is yet another opportunity to express gratitude to those who did not abandon their homeland and engaged in the difficult and responsible work of resolving the consequences of the disaster, and to the countries that supported us from the very first day of the tragedy that befell us.

The greatest and most irreparable loss is human life. I bow in memory of the innocent victims. Dear Shirak residents, I wish you willpower, strength, resilience, and patience.

Disasters are temporary, but the homeland is eternal. God protect our homeland,” he wrote.