President Armen Sarkissian has addressed the participants and guests of the 7th Pan-Armenian Games. The multi-sports event was opened on August 5 in Artsakh. This year the Pan-Armenian Games are co-hosted by Armenia and Artsakh.
Sarkissian salutes participants of VII Pan-Armenian Games
STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 6, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: “Dear countrymen, dear participants of the 7th Pan-Armenian Summer Games, dear guests of Armenia and Artsakh. Today you are on ancient Armenian land, but none of you are guests because actually you have come home, to your native Armenian home. You’ve come to participate in an pan-Armenian event, you’ve come to enjoy the Armenian environment, to enrich it, you’ve come to compete and win. And Artsakh and the Artsakh people very well know what victory is. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Pan-Armenian Games. Therefore it is far more symbolic to start the Pan-Armenian Games this time from Artsakh – the historical Artsakh province of Mets Hayk. Let us remember that in 385 King Varazdat of Mets Hayk became the first Armenian champion of the Olympic Games, however the Pan-Armenian Games aren’t less significant for us than the Olympic Games.
In these Pan-Armenian Games three symbolic flames were lit in three historical Armenian territories – at the foothills of Musa Mountain in Cilician Armenia, in Khor Virap at the Ararat Plain and in Tigranakert, Artsakh. Three flames have conveyed at least three messages to us – to be united, to unite around a single Homeland and to empower it.
Dear countrymen,
The Armenian President also wished good luck and all the best to all participants.
“I hope that your visit to Artsakh and Armenia will leave the warmest and most pleasant impressions on you and that the Games will give many bright and memorable moments”.