"Nation-Army" Conference Devoted To Military Educational Problems

• 04.21.2017, 20:17
•  World,  Armenia

mil.am

On April 20, in Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex, by the joint efforts of RA Defense Ministry and RA Ministry of Education and Culture "Nation-Army 2017" conference took place, which was devoted to the problems of military education sphere.

In the framework of the conference, under the concept of "Nation-Army", two new projects "I have the Honor" and "I Am" were presented. To start those projects, a wide public discussion was conducted with the participation of the representatives of the social, political and expert circles in Armenia. The discussion was hosted by the journalists Artak Aleksanyan and Ara Tadevosyan.

The second part of the conference, which was hosted by a journalist, TV presenter and commentator Gevorg Altunyan, aimed at concluding the results of the discussion. RA Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan and Minister of Education Levon Mkrtchyan had separate speeches in this part of the event.

Vigen Sargsyan, highlighting the importance of the discussion on "Nation-Army" concept, noted that we have always been a nation-army, only now it will have more institutionalized expression.

"The concept of "Nation-Army" is not my idea. For centuries, starting from the middle ages, we have witnessed in the speeches of our historians the concept, how the nation should unite to overcome the obstacles. I have just brought the concept that was present in the speeches of our intellectuals, to our reality, in which we live now. In our country, each 40^th citizen serves in the Defense Army, we have around 40 communities that are situated immediately on the bordering line. The people, who live there, do not just live in the bordering villages, but they are border-keepers in their essence and we should take that into consideration."

According to Levon Mkrtchyan, the opportune slogan brought forward by the Defense Minister, was the demand of the time. According to the Minister of Education, "the experience and the knowledge gained during those years brought us to the level, when we should pass to the new quality phase, pertaining to new working principles."

During the discussion, both Vigen Sargsyan and Levon Mkrtchyan referred especially to the problems present in the sphere of military education.

"In the end, military education has two important components, that is knowledge and skills that a child should gain from the very kindergarten. In this sense we should totally change our textbooks, methodology and approaches. It is not just a problem of ministries, it is also a problem of the society and in this context, the concept "Nation-Army" has an opportune meaning. We all, in the joint-effort should do everything possible to operationalize the patriotism and to make it an absolute value," noted Levon Mkrtchyan in his final speech.

In his turn Vigen Sargsyan, referring to the problems in the sphere of the military education, noted that the present-day textbooks cannot attract the pupils of the 21^st century. Summing up, the Minister of Defense urged the conference participants not to consider today’s meeting an end.

According to him, it was a beginning of a very important discussion, parallel to which already tomorrow we should start to do a new quality work. "I know, that the people sitting here for decades have been engaged in this responsible job as educators, as heads of educational institutions, heads and representatives of NGOs."

I just ask you starting from tomorrow to take into consideration the core of our today’s discussion, the military education is very important and to prepare qualified graduates is a part of your duty. We will be consistent in through our commissars, governors, with the local governing bodies working with you. We should demonstrate creative approaches in place, no matter how difficult it is, you should do…"