President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s congratulatory message on Television Workers Day

Dear Armenian Television workers,

I cordially congratulate you on Television Worker’s Day.

66 years ago today, the Armenian Public TV Company took its first step. That was a turning point from the viewpoint of cultural, public, political spheres, and, generally, all the fields pertaining the everyday life of the society.

Television in itself was opening new perspectives for almost all the directions of journalism, publicism, politics and art, claiming to become a kind of art in its own way.

During the past 7 decades, the path of establishment of Armenian Public Television has been full of rises and falls, achievements and of course, challenges, overcoming which has been a new achievement.

Armenian Public Television never stood aside from the issues of concern to the society and readiness to respond to the challenges facing our state, and has surely passed through political and ideological censorship and clichés, too. In the meantime, the television aspired to adhere to the mission of promoting, educating and teaching the arts and culture.

Today, it’s impossible to picture how brave of the Armenian Public Television it was to make a decision to broadcast live the session of the Supreme Council of Armenia on June 15, 1988.

It’s just as difficult to assess how significant of a cultural event was the appearance of the film-opera "Anoush" in 1983 on the screens, or the creation of the Television and Radio Symphony Orchestra, the artistic director of which was Ohan Duryan.

The list of the milestones and achievements of the establishment of Armenian television can go on and on, but most importantly, we should appreciate and give due credit to the television workers of all times, to all those who stood behind those achievements and development with unconditional devotion.

Dear Armenian Television workers,

Once again, I congratulate you and wish you new professional achievements, sound health and personal happiness.