Artsakh Flag on Balconies: Vazgen Manukyan Launches New Initiative

The former Prime Minister of Armenia, Vazgen Manukyan, is calling on citizens to join the ‘My Thoughts are with Artsakh’ initiative and to display the Artsakh flag on their balconies.

“Dear compatriots, the youth have launched a campaign called ‘My Thoughts are with Artsakh’ (flash mob) to wave the Artsakh flag from balconies. Artsakh is part of our historical homeland, populated by our compatriots who have managed to preserve their identity, culture, and de facto independence over the centuries, even under foreign dominion.

In 1988, we freed ourselves from the complex of genocide, strengthened both in Armenia and the Diaspora, and taking advantage of the favorable conditions created in the Soviet Union, we rose to solve our national issues and realize our dreams for a resolution of the Artsakh issue, the creation of an independent state, international recognition of the genocide, and the establishment of justice and freedom. We were strong and we won.

Unfortunately, the results of our victories were not accessible to the entire population, and a significant part of society remained alienated from the fruits of those victories. Now, we are in the most shameful and dangerous period of our history. Huge changes are happening in the region and will continue to happen. Unfortunately, being in a weak and defeated state, we will not benefit from these changes but will lose, if we cannot change the situation.

I am convinced that everything is correctable and depends solely on us. We will find strength again to defend our state, ensure the empowerment and prosperity of our people, and safeguard our dignity, the security of Artsakh, and our unity with our brothers and sisters in Artsakh.

This path begins with the first steps, and one of those steps is the ‘My Thoughts are with Artsakh’ initiative. Artsakh has been the symbol of our struggle since 1988, and today it can again become a symbol of our struggle through this initiative.

I, my family, and hundreds of our compatriots have already joined the ‘My Thoughts are with Artsakh’ initiative and have displayed the Artsakh flag on our balconies. I call on all our compatriots—both in the homeland and in the Diaspora—to join this initiative and regardless of where you are on the globe, greet the New Year by waving the Artsakh flag, and that year will become a year of hope and revival,” says Vazgen Manukyan in his address.