On February 19, the delegation of the Yerevan Model United Nations (YereMUN) Association was honored to attend a reception organized at the Marriott Hotel under the high patronage of the Embassy of Serbia in Armenia on the occasion of the Serbian Statehood Day.

The following attended the reception on behalf of the YereMUN organization:

  • Eva Hambardzumyan, Secretary to the President
  • Milena Hovhannisyan, Advisor to the President
  • David Muradyan, Head of the Department of Relations and Partnerships

On the symbolism of National Day

Statehood Day of Serbia (15 February) is the national holiday of the Republic of Serbia.

It commemorates the outbreak of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman rule (1804), as well as adoption of the first modern Serbian constitution (1835), known as the Sretenje Constitution or Candlemas Constitution (Candlemas – the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ is celebrated on the same day in the the Eastern Orthodox tradition).

The beginning of the Reception

The ceremony itself began to the tunes of the national anthems of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Armenia following brief introductions and discussions with ambassadors representing various countries. In their addresses, Serbia’s ambassador to Armenia, Tatjana Panajotović-Cvetković, and the Republic of Armenia’s deputy minister of foreign affairs, Paruyr Hovhannisyan, emphasised the two peoples’ expanding relationships and the actions taken to advance future cooperation. During his remarks, the Ambassador specifically mentioned:

We are optimistic about further enhancing cooperation with Armenia in all fields, including economy, trade, culture, education, and science.

On behalf of the staff of the YereMUN organisation, we also congratulated the Serbian Embassy personnel on Statehood Day and sent our sincere wishes for prosperity and well-being to the friendly people of Serbia. For the sake of our shared growth and prosperity, we also underlined our willingness and commitment to further our cooperation and strengthen the cordial relations that have been established between the two states and peoples.

The Results of the Reception

We were afforded an exceptional opportunity to engage in dialogue and exchange ideas with a diverse array of distinguished officials, including members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, high-ranking representatives of state departments, consuls, and foreign diplomats, during the evening.

This interaction not only provided an opportunity to address key issues of bilateral and multilateral relations, but also created a conducive environment for mutual goodwill and exchange of experiences.

We regularly held discussions with ambassadors of a number of countries to the Republic of Armenia, including the Ambassador of the United States, Ms. Kristina Kvien, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr. John Gallagher, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, Mr. Vassilis Maragos, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Armenia, Ms. Françoise Jacob, the Ambassador of France, Mr. Olivier Decottignies, the Ambassador of Sweden, Mr. Patrik Svensson, the Chargé d’Affaires of Ukraine, Mr. Valerii Lobach, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Kingdom of Spain, Ms. Cristina Conesa, representatives of their staffs, and others. We presented our organization and its mission to promote and strengthen theoretical and practical knowledge of diplomacy and international relations among youth and to involve them in similar processes.

In international relations, in foreign policy, a great deal has to do with historical circumstances, a great deal has to do with the sense and perception of people.

Salman Khurshid

Special importance should be given to the fact that the discussions with high-ranking foreign diplomats were exceptionally productive, significant and valuable. They listened to us with great attention, presented their observations and opinions, and also encouraged young initiators to use every opportunity to get involved in such events, wishing us success in the future.

Despite the relatively short duration of the discussions, they were of significant importance, as they provided us with the opportunity to present both our organization and our mission and values. Yerevan Model United Nations (YereMUN) acts as a future-oriented organization, the basis of whose activities are purposeful and persistent young initiators. Our main and primary goal is to promote the fields of diplomacy and international relations among Armenian youth, while expanding international cooperation with both public and state structures for the sake of common good and prosperity.

It is undeniable that during the evening we were given the opportunity to get acquainted with the ambassadors accredited to our country, to discuss with them important geopolitical issues, as well as to touch upon the agenda issues of bilateral and multilateral relations. This reception was distinguished by its high level and effectiveness, which allowed to deepen diplomatic cooperation and strengthen ties with international partners.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the Embassy of Serbia in Armenia, under the leadership of Ms. Tatjana Panajotović-Cvetković, for hosting this reception, which was meticulously organized and executed at an exceptional standard.

Once again, we extend our heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of Serbia’s Statehood Day, wishing the friendly people of Serbia peace, prosperity, and well-being.