On May 7 on the initiative of a group of politicians and young people the meeting of the NGO Political Generation Change Club was held, having on the agenda the issue of approving the declaration on establishing Political Generation Change Club. Deputies of the National Assembly, members of NGOs and representatives of media participated in the meeting.

Mr. Viktor Mnatsakanyan, Chief Adviser of the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan read the address of the President of the National Assembly to the participants of the founding assembly of the Club of Political Generation Change:

“Welcome to the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia! I greet your initiative of creating a direct and immediate link between the active people, who are involved in politics.

You create a new unit, a tool for self-organization of the society. The National Assembly and me with all my capabilities are ready to promote the establishment of such independent units and will make all efforts for it.

Your declared idea, the exchange of experience being accumulated through generations, is a good and honest one. That street supposes a two-way movement if the older generation passes its experience to the young people, then in response to that they expect new ideas, initiatives and thoughts.

The Armenian community is faithful to traditions. Since our childhood we have been fed respect towards the elders, who bear knowledge and experience. Our parents have brought up us in that way. However, it doesn’t mean that young people should step aside and wait for the elders to make decisions.

Every citizen, and the young people, first of all, should be involved in all political processes. Moreover, in active politics the encouragement of the access of the young generation should be the elders’ prior problem.

We should work together for the future citizen’s upbringing. And the citizens of our dreamed Armenia are formed today, may be in this hall.

We, together, must find answers and solutions for the challenges facing us, using the experience of the older generation and the young people’s inspiration.

I wish success the Club of the Political Generation Change. I am confident that it will have its contribution in the strengthening of our independent statehood and development of our country.”

Chairman of the NGO National league of Young Democrats Mr. Koryun Grigoryan presented the main provisions of the declaration, the goals and tasks, main principles of the activity of the club, calling upon the young people to join the initiative and expand the possibilities of participating in the social-political life and building the future of the motherland.

Chairman of the Alliance of National Democrats Mr. Arshak Sadoyan highlighted the initiative with respect to the fulfillment of the ideas of the political figures of the elder generation with the forces of the younger generation. He noted that public discussions will be organized, and opposite views will be presented. He believes that the idea of the club is a fluent generation change.

Greeting the creation of the club the deputy of the National Assembly Mrs. Larisa Alaverdyan proposed editing amendments in the provisions of the declaration. She in convinced that it should be fixed in the declaration that among the post-Soviet countries the best conditions and prerequisites are created in Armenia with respect to the exchange of thoughts and opposition’s expressing opinions. She separated from each other the notions of physical and ideological generation change. Highlighting this initiative the writer, publicist Mr. Meruzhan Ter-Gulanyan believes that the youth should be enthusiastic and inspired, wish to fulfill the goals of the older generation, for the implementation of which faith towards the future of the country is important.

Head of RPA faction Mr. Galust Sahakyan welcomed the initiative and ensured that he would support the participants. In his opinion the goal is not to prepare political figures, as the political figures become as they are on the way of their political activity, simply as many tribunes of expressing opinions we have, as many reasonable steps would be, and the society would be ready for the challenges. According to him, the politics cannot be subjected into generation change: that is a process, and it should have its followers. In the opinion of the head of RPA faction, we should try not to make the ideology younger but make the youth bearers of ideology. In his assessment, there is not the ideology of liberalism or free thinking among the young people, but also the ideology of re-thinking of the national values, which will give new quality to our society.

Mr. Manuk Stepanyan, artist, candidate of historical sciences, Mr. Aramayis Gevorgyan, Chairman of the Youth Parliament, secretary of the United Liberal National Party (MIAK) Party Ms. Naira Karapetyan and other young public figures welcomed the initiative, hoping that as a result of the meetings it will be possible to awake the civil initiative among the young people.

Chairman of the Alliance of National Democrats Mr. Arshak Sadoyan thanked those present for the participation and interesting discussion and expressed hope that the participant young people of the club will be active and initiative.