Pashinyan Identifies the Key to Solving All Problems

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Smart Center of the "Children of Armenia" Foundation (COAF) in the village of Myasnikyan, Armavir Province, as well as the opening of the first structure of the COAF Smart Village, the Yurejyan Children's and Family Center.

The Prime Minister welcomed the attendees and thanked the COAF Foundation and the philanthropist Yurejyan family for this initiative. In his remarks, the government leader addressed certain nuances in the relations between the diaspora and the Republic of Armenia that need to change, as today the agenda and needs of the RA have changed, and everyone here can earn their bread through their work.

According to Nikol Pashinyan, the new model of cooperation between the diaspora and Armenia, or the utilization of diaspora potential, is for the diaspora to assist and create platforms in collaboration with the government and other organizations, allowing people to acquire new skills to earn a living. “And this model has already proven itself, and I want to thank you again for this initiative,” said the Prime Minister.

In this context, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of education and knowledge: “I want to refer to the important words about hope that were mentioned from this platform. We must understand what lies between hope and despair. In my opinion, the only thing that lies between hope and despair is education and knowledge. Moreover, this concerns the individual, the nation, and the state because hope or despair is the inability to manage one’s own situation or the lack of capacities,” stated Nikol Pashinyan.

The Prime Minister underscored the significance of Smart Centers because these initiatives help people gain knowledge. The government leader noted that any crisis or problem at the state, individual, national, and community levels stems from a lack of knowledge, and we—as individuals, as a nation, and as a state—need to be educated, and the key to solving all our problems is education. “I do not want to create the impression that I blame anyone for being uneducated. It is not at all about that, because I believe that education is never excessive or sufficient, and emphasizing the necessity and priority of education is the most fundamental criterion and indicator of being educated,” highlighted Nikol Pashinyan.

The objective of the "Children of Armenia" charitable foundation is to improve the quality of life of the rural population of Armenia, focusing particularly on programs and needs related to children and youth. The goal of constructing a Smart Center in Armavir and establishing a new Children's and Family Center is to create equal educational opportunities for the residents of the province. Utilizing modern technologies and innovative teaching methodologies, the Smart Center will offer children and youth opportunities for informal free education. Meanwhile, the Yurejyan Children's and Family Center will provide comprehensive services for the development, psychological, speech therapy, and social work for children of different age groups.