YEREVAN. - Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting on Friday with a delegation of the Roskosmos agency headed by the astronaut and Hero of Russia Mikhail Tyurin.

The delegation arrived in Armenia to participate in the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of man’s first space flight. The Armenian President’s press office informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that the Serzh Sargsyan pointed out great importance Armenia attaches to the celebrations and is proud of the fact that, as part of a great state, Armenians greatly contributed to the preparation of man’s first space flight and to astronautics.

“We are really proud of the heroic chapters of our common history. I think that the ones not remembering their past cannot have a future. I am happy that the events are first of all intended for young people because the older generation remembers that period well,” president Sargsyan said. “This is a good occasion to explain to the young people that the future belongs to those having knowledge, courage and persistence.”

Speaking of the 50-year–long history of Soviet cosmonautics, the Russian delegation stressed Armenians’ contribution to space exploration.