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President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan paid a working visit to the country’s Gegharkunik and Kotayk provinces on Saturday.

The President visited the camp participants in Yerkrapah complex and Startup Armenia Summit tent camp. He also visited the participants of Baze 2016 pan-Armenian youth camp. 

During his visit to Yerkrapah complex, Sargsyan toured the tent camp, getting familiarized with the daily routine and life conditions of the homeland defenders. The President congratulated the participants on the successful training and sports assemblies.

After the welcome speeches made by different generations of homeland defenders and the solemn march of the young generation, Sargsyan inquired about the activities carried out in the territory of the camp and the courses taught. The President was reported that since May 30, the training and sports event launched in Yerkrapah complex has received 13 shifts from all the Armenian provinces, capital city Yerevan, all the administrative districts of Artsakh and Diaspora. The camp also accepted children from socially vulnerable families.

Thereafter President Sargsyan visited Sevan Startup Summit tent camp organized in the territory of Sevan National Park. 350 youth from Yerevan, other provinces and Diaspora are taking part in the event held by Startup Armenia Foundation from August 18 to 28. The President got familiarized with the living conditions of the campers, various events held and the startup projects of the summit competition winners. He also watched the video about the summit.

In the framework of his working visit to Kotayk province, the President visited the participants of Baze 2016 pan-Armenian youth camp in the evening. Roughly 500 young people from Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk and Diaspora are taking part in the camp held from August 22 to 28.

Sargsyan got familiarized with the events held in the framework of the camp and the routine of the campers, as well as watched a video showing the flashmob, sports events and exhibition organized by the participants on occasion of the 25th anniversary of Armenia.

After meeting with Baze participants and responding to their questions, Sargsyan delivered a welcome speech. The President underscored the importance of Baze platform which enables young people to first of all find each other.

“I must once again confess that I have a very high opinion about our new generation. It is not a secret that oftentimes and in different situations people complain of our youth and the new generation, saying that they read little, are passive and depoliticized, that they refuse many of our national traditions and try to introduce foreign traditions into our society, etc. I reiterate, I don’t agree with that idea and I don’t think that our youth needs re-education or patriotic admonitions, since there have been fatal points for our country, during which our youth manifested itself brilliantly,” he noted.

The President considered it normal for the young people to have different opinions on a certain phenomenon. “But it is unacceptable when during political struggle or such arguments attempt is made to solve the issues through violence or, worst of all, weapons. This is unacceptable,”he stressed, adding that violence has never led to good results.

According to Sargsyan, violence never makes anyone stronger, but only weakens them. “I’m saying this since revolutionary sentiments are in many cases peculiar to the young people too, since that romanticism comes from lack of experience. This should always be taken into consideration.  Political struggle is very normal, and our youth has not once engaged in political struggle – including a street one - for defending their and the society’s rights. I reiterate, this is normal. The abnormal thing is when people or organizations and services try to “stir up”the conscious and mentality of the people, stemming from their own interests,” the President stressed.

Referring to the issues of the youth, the President noted that they lack Western model of education, but that is not their fault: introduction of such a competitive system requires long time. He assured that Armenian will carry out work in that direction.

By the end of the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan watched the gala concert organized by the campers. 

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