Armenian Official Appeals for Children's Smiles During Holidays

During the three days of mourning last Sunday, I visited Yerablur and, on my way back, entered the village of Aghavno to understand the living conditions of the residents and how I could be of assistance. This was shared on Facebook by the newly appointed head of the Artsakh Presidential Administration, Artak Beglaryan.

After talking with the community leader, Andranik Chavushyan, I also had a brief conversation with his cheerful children about their toys and expectations from Santa Claus. After that meeting, I once again became convinced that mourning and sacrifices should serve life, and the main symbols of life are our innocent children, for whom life is not so much about grief and tears but rather about play and smiles. They need to understand and appreciate their losses but also require positive energies to ensure the continuity of life—energies for which their loved ones and compatriots sacrificed their lives to grant peace and smiles primarily to them.

These children should be developed mainly through positive energies so they can create a better future when the time comes for them. In other words, my dear ones, my request is that no one should ever think of depriving children of smiles, especially during the New Year holidays. Our fallen heroes certainly did not dream of that. Moreover, children often find joy in what may seem trivial to adults, rather than in traditional extravagances and celebrations.