President of the Republic of Armenia Armen Sarkissian today hosted a group of former fixed-term military servicemen who participated in the military operations in April 2016 and have established the “Union of Participants of Military Operations in April” NGO.

Expressing gratitude to them for fulfilling their duty to the homeland faithfully and with dedication, the President particularly said the following: “There is a simple and absolute truth — what happened during those days are in the conscience and the hearts of our entire nation. Nobody has forgotten and won’t forget anything. Your union is very valuable since, in reality, those who win are people who are ready to win.”

The President attached importance to not only the boys’ courage, but also their experience, which is highly valuable. “People win wars with not only weapons, but also with heart, mind and spirit. You have to be rest assured that what you did was for the homeland and for yourselves. When I was younger, one of the thoughts that impressed me the most was the thought of Napoleon Bonaparte about planning to win in a war.”

The President considered the endeavors of the boys who defended the homeland during the war in April an example for the new generation.

The members of the newly established union stated that their goal is to consolidate all the fixed-term military servicemen who participated in the military operations in April 2016 and consider it their priority objective to support the families of their deceased friends.

The young heroes also stated that one of the key objectives of the future is to help the wounded. President Sarkissian told about the support program for soldiers who became disabled during military service, stating that the government has to show that it appreciates the sacrifices that they made. The members of the union also touched upon the premises of the union, which will help the union fully carry out its activities. The President promised to help them find a solution to the issue.