YEREVAN. – Armenia observes Social Workers’ Day on Wednesday. 

At the beginning of 2009, the country’s government announced about this new holiday, and set November 4 as the day of its observance.

The government’s respective decision stated that the First Republic of Armenia had faced major social problems ever since its foundation—in 1918.

“The situation could be surmounted solely thanks to combining all forces, [and] a clear and coherent social policy,” the decision continues. “On November 4, 1918, the coalition government of the First Republic [of Armenia] formed the Ministry of Public Guardianship, and whereby it laid the foundation for the state policy of social protection of the population.”