WELCOMING REMARKS BY PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN ADDRESSED TO THE CREW OF THE ARMENIA SAILBOAT
Office of the President
Aug 12 2011
Armenia
On August 11, the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the President
of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias at the port of Limassol
attended the official ceremony dedicated to the conclusion by the
Armenia sailboat of her around-the-world voyage.
*** Welcoming remarks by President Serzh Sargsyan addressed to the
crew of the Armenia sailboat
Mr. President, Courageous seamen, Dear Compatriots,
I am happy to address you all on this symbolic occasion. It is
symbolic since after almost a two-year voyage, the Armenia sailboat
has concluded her around-the-world voyage traveling down the routes
of Spyurk. It is also symbolic because brotherly Cyprus has become
the last point and destination for this round the world voyage. I am
truly delighted by the fact that this event has reaffirmed that the
friendship of the Armenian and Cypriot peoples has deep roots. We are
friends in good as well as difficult times. In Armenia, we learned
with great anguish the news of the explosion at the Evangelos Florakis
marine base, and at this point I would like to ask you to join me in
a moment of silence to pay tribute to the memory of the victims.
Now, I address my words to our dear seamen; every one of them is
endowed with the outstanding will power and great national dignity,
high professionalism, patriotism, determination, and courage. It is
proved by your almost two-year long heroic act, which is completed by
the honorary anchoring of your ship here, in the territorial waters
of brotherly Cyprus.
Your heroic deed has become an excellent epitome for the collective
image of the Armenian man, who went through a long and tough journey,
never succumbed to hardships but overcame and rightly earned the
right to live an independent and dignified life.
I have been following closely the first in our history
circumnavigation, read messages sent to us from different parts of the
world, shared your hopes and troubles. You have not only conducted
the around-the-world voyage, sailed across three oceans and dozens
of seas but have also crossed hard roads of Spyurk in different
corners of the world to bring the spirit of the Motherland to our
communities, bestowing new meaning to the formula of our identity
and to our world-spread cultural heritage.
Even before the voyage, this idea by the head of the expedition,
Zori Balayan inspired me immensely. And it is not merely about
conducting a round-the-world voyage but, first of all, about the
scientific expedition which carries the name of the inventor of the
Armenian letters Saint Mesrop Mashtots. It holds its own significance:
thanks to these very letters the Spyurk has been able to preserve
our language, our church and our national traditions – our identity.
It is also very emblematic that the voyage has been dedicated to the
Armenian mothers. The pictures of the mothers of the seamen in the
cabin of the crew have supported them in difficult moments of the
voyage, just like Armenian women have been preserving the eternity
of their hearths throughout our thorny and intricate history.
I can well understand how difficult it was for you to reach our
Armenian communities, meet with our compatriots and accomplish the
task of gathering historical and culture related material on five
continents right according to the timetable. You have made photographs
of many Armenian churches, monuments, schools and old cemeteries all
over the world and it is commendable.
I also know that in this voyage you carried with you not only our
state symbols but also the amphora full of native soil and names
of our immortal heroes who fell in the Artsakh war for justice
and freedom. There can be no doubt that without our immortal heroes
there could be no pan-European voyage of the Cilicia sailboat or this
around- the-world voyage of the Armenia. Voyages of the Cilicia and
the Armenia bring back historical memory about journeys made by our
forefathers when Armenian vessels had been ploughing the expanses
of the sees. Today, Armenia is a land-locked country; but even today
we have many sons who subdue the seas, oceans and elements to their
willpower.
I want to name them all, our courageous seamen: Zori Balayan, Samvel
Karapetian, Armen Nazarian, Hayk Badalian, Samvel Babayan, Moushegh
Barseghian, Vahan Matevossian, Sargis Kouzanian and the departed Samvel
Sarkissian. Thank you all for bringing this honorable mission to its
glorious conclusion. Let courageous spirit and endurance always stay
with you. My dear friends, be always healthy and happy and let all
your future endeavors be as patriotic as this one. God bless you all
and your just cause. The Fatherland is proud of your heroic deed.
Thank you.
From: A. Papazian
www.president.am