This year’s celebration of the liberation of Shushi has modern resonance in the sense that we Armenians can’t make an attempt to interpret the great symbol of Shushi out of the scope of the messages that the blitzkrieg sent us.

The battle for Shushi was the crucial battle for the survival of the Armenian people that was led by the noblest young Armenian men of the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora, who went to the military front, stood side-by-side in the same trenches and died, but also won in the battle to ensure the guarantees of the security of all Armenians.

Shushi symbolizes the awakening of the Armenian nation. Shushi also had and still has all the historic prerequisites to become the center for Armenian culture. I believe the conduct of pan-national cultural festivals, pan-Armenian forums and conferences and different kinds of events will be vital in order to help the city develop and make the city be in the center of attention of all Armenians.

It would be appropriate for Armenian non-governmental organizations of the Diaspora to take Shushi into consideration as a venue for organizing major events.

I congratulate all Armenians on the 24^th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi. I am certain that, through the targeted use of the potential of all Armenians, we will be able to turn Shushi into a major city for creators and a city for hosting festivals.