Armenia Faces Challenges: Woe to the Nation Lacking Will and Hope, Says Catholicos Aram I

The Catholicos of Cilicia, Aram I, has delivered a message on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of Armenia's independence. Aram I emphasized that the strengthening of the Republic of Armenia is the duty of every Armenian and all of the Armenian nation.

"For any nation, its independence is a sacred value and right, and at the same time, the healthy and strong preservation of it is a sacred obligation. It is true that today Armenia faces anxieties and challenges, both internal and external. It is true that today Armenia is not what we have dreamed of for decades. However, the same dream and ideal must be preserved. Woe to the nation that lacks a dream and the faith, will, and hope to realize it.

Celebrating the anniversary of the Republic of Armenia's independence should serve not only as a celebration but also as an invitation to firmly and steadily maintain our Motherland, away from any form of internal polarization. Armenia is the Motherland of all Armenians. With this awareness and commitment, the children of our nation must approach Armenia. In this spirit and commitment, Armenia’s state officials should engage with the Diaspora.

Unfortunately, for various reasons, we have lost Artsakh, one of the crucial pillars of the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora alliance. Let us live and act so that Armenia is never distant from the Diaspora, and the Diaspora is never distant from Armenia. Separating or detaching Armenia from the Diaspora is a national heresy.

Indeed, the commemoration of Armenia's independence is a message to the entire Armenian nation to unite around the supreme values of the Republic of Armenia: the uninterrupted preservation and strengthening of territorial integrity, security, and sovereignty. Only with this conscious commitment will the commemoration of our Motherland's independence gain its true and complete meaning and purpose," the message from Aram I stated in part.