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The President of Armenia, a Co-founder of the Luys Foundation Serzh Sargsyan today at the Presidential Palace met with the fellows of the Foundation for the academic year 2013-2014. Present at the meeting were also the Prime Minister of Armenia, a Co-founder of the Luys Foundation Tigran Sarkissian and students and graduates of the world’s best educational institutions who received their support for studies from the Luys.

The fellows and graduates presented to Serzh Sargsyan their works implemented in the framework of the Foundation’s Let’s Develop Armenia project – achievements related to the use of knowledge acquired at the best educational institutions of the world, experience and networking for Armenia’s benefit and first inspiring success.

The President of Armenia, in line with the established tradition, handed to the students, who have been admitted to the educational institutions, certificates of the Luys Foundation Fellows. Serzh Sargsyan congratulated them and wished success in their studies and in the implementation of the future programs. “First, I would like to congratulate all those young people who have been admitted this year to the higher educational institutions and have become the Fellows of the Luys Foundation. The number of the Armenian students in the best universities of the world is growing by year and today their presence in these institutions is pretty solid. I am glad that meetings such as this one have become a good tradition. It is very important for me to see you, get acquainted personally and talk to you. In my opinion, to study in the best universities of the world is both the right and the opportunity. The right is obtained by a young person through his or her knowledge and work, while the opportunities should be created by your relatives, your friends, the milieu in which you live, the state, the authorities and all those who want to help you. In this case, these opportunities are created for you by the Luys Foundation. We believe in you. We believe that by studying in the best educational institutions of the world, you will acquire new knowledge. We believe that you will become good specialists, good people, good Armenians, and good citizens. As you know, Armenians have always been striving to get into the best scientific and educational centers of the world, but I am confident that you also know that that phenomenon has not been accepted univocally and today too, there are probably similar approaches. For instance, one of our great thinkers, Rafael Patkanian expressed concern that young people, who received education abroad, in many cases, distance themselves from their nation and quickly undergo assimilation. He probably thought that for the people, who had received their education in the best educational centers of the world, it would be much easier to integrate into an alien society, and in many cases it was exactly like that.

Present here are also young people, who already received education through the assistance of the Luys Foundation in the best universities of the world. Now they are back to Armenia, work here and live a full life. I am confident that their example is much more inspiring.

Today, our society is going through difficult times. The issue of getting a nice job and better conditions is a painful one for our people, for all of us and the major reason for that are the social and economic conditions in our country. However I want you to be sure that the process will not go on like that for a long time. This is the price we have to pay on our way toward development. Be assured that in a while, many of those who pursue happiness elsewhere will come back to Motherland and here they will feel much more comfortable than anywhere else.

For me, the Fellows of the Luys Foundation are also interesting in other respects. I have no doubt that you are the people who after getting your knowledge abroad tomorrow will augment our state governing structure. It is extremely important that the state structure employs dedicated, competent young people who have a clear idea about their future. The asset of any country is first of all its healthy and well-educated youth. I have confidence and once again, we believe in you. We believe that getting your education, you will become stronger, because we always say that knowledge is power. Becoming stronger yourselves, you will make our state and our society stronger. Another piece of advice for you: I urge you to read, read as much as possible. Read our classics, read the world classics, read contemporary literature. I have no doubt that in any top-rating university the faculty is able to provide excellent education through the curriculum but don’t stop there. In the universities one can become a very good lawyer, or a mathematician, a very good administrator but believe me it is impossible to become a broad-minded individual without reading. And without being a broad-minded individual it is very difficult to assess oneself and all happenings in a way which will be beneficial for you and the society where you live and work.

I once again congratulate you all. I wish you success and wish that those of you who have become students this year are also present at our next meetings and with your example inspire those who will become students in 2014 or 2015,” President Serzh Sargsyan told the fellows of the Luys Foundation.