YEREVAN. – On the occasion of the New Year and Christmas holidays, President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, and First Lady Rita on Tuesday hosted numerous children, including from the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh).

These kids were the children and grandchildren of the families of the servicemen in the Armenian Armed Forces, the soldiers that fell—or became disabled—during the Karabakh War as well as the four-day war in early April, the Yerkrapah (Defender of the Land) Volunteer Union, Police and National Security Service officers, and of the members of several NGOs that collaborate with the Ministry of Defense.

The lights of the Christmas tree at the presidential palace were ceremonially lit, and the festive event kicked off.

The President warmly congratulated the participants in this event and all children, on the New Year and Christmas holidays, and extended them good wishes, on his and the First Lady’s behalf.

“You shall both study well and work well, and very well  carry out what your teachers and parents say,” Sargsyan said, in particular, to these children.