President Vahagn Khachaturyan's address on the 35th anniversary of the Spitak earthquake

Dear compatriots,

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Spitak earthquake.

December 7, 1988, was one of the most tragic days in our history when thousands of our compatriots fell victim to a natural disaster, hundreds of thousands were left homeless, and the country's economy suffered enormous losses.

The earthquake was a severe trial for Armenia which was taking the first steps on the path to independence. However, by exerting every effort, our people managed to gradually overcome the consequences of the natural disaster.

In mitigating the pain of human losses and eliminating the consequences of the earthquake, our country received the undeniable moral and material support of the Armenian Diaspora, as well as friendly nations and states.

Today, we must commemorate our fallen compatriots first of all by rebuilding our cities and settlements affected by the earthquake, as well as by responsibly, as good faith, responsible, and informed decisions of our citizens, builders, architects, and government officials are equally important to minimize the damage of natural disasters.