In Gyumri, Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin laid a wreath at the memorial dedicated to victims of the Spitak earthquake

Serzh Sargsyan and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, who has arrived to Armenia on a state visit at the invitation of the President of Armenia, today, after the opening of the Third Armenian-Russian Interregional Forum in Gyumri and on the eve of the 25th anniversary of a devastating earthquake in Spitak in 1988, laid a wreath at the memorial dedicated to the victims of the earthquake, rescuers, and all countries and peoples who lend helping hand to Armenia.

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Additional Information about the Memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1988 earthquake

The Memorial was unveiled on December 7, 2008 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the devastating earthquake. It was created by the People’s Artists of RF and Ukraine, Distinguished Artist of Armenia, Laureate of the Lenin Award, native of Gyumri Frid Soghoyan, Distinguished Artist of RF Vahe Soghoyan, Distinguished Artist of Armenia Michael Soghoyan. Copper monument comprises 17 human figures, which represents the composition of the monument. The message on the Memorial is quite short, “To innocent victims, to compassionate hearts.” The seven meters high cooper memorial signifies the pain of the people who went through this devastation, but it also signifies courage with which they rise from the ruins. The Memorial was created in the Moscow studio of Frid Soghoyan. Five stone tiles installed next to the Memorial present names of those compassionate individuals and countries which from the first moment of the catastrophe lend their helping hand to the Armenian people. The entire enterprise of the creation and installment of the Memorial was greatly assisted by Nikolay Ryzhkov who at that time was heading the Board of Trustees of the Commission on Commemoration of the Memory of the Victims of the Earthquake.”

Frid Soghoyan is also the head of the artistic group which created the Unified Cross composition. It was opened today in Yerevan and symbolizes the centuries-long friendship of the Armenian and Russian peoples.