Today we live in a society, which can not imagine life without expressing views on social media. Probably it does have certain advantages. Nevertheless, many participants of active discussions have already forgotten or do not even know about the developments, which unfolded in Armenia 5, 10 or 15 years ago.
To fill the gap Mediamax presents 5/10/15 project, which introduce developments in Armenia 5, 10 and 15 years ago.
• 15 YEARS AGO: SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 6, 2004
“Armenia is a country of pilgrimage”
On 6 October Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho took part in the presentation of the Armenian edition of his most famous book “The Alchemist” in Yerevan.
Several hundreds of the writer’s fans surrounded the building of the Union of Writers of Armenia in the centre of Yerevan.
Paulo Coelho meets Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and his spousePhoto: Armenianweekly.com
In his short speech Coelho described Armenia as a “country of pilgrimage”.
• 10 YEARS AGO: SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 6, 2009
Gillan and Iommi in Yerevan
Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan and Black Sabbath lead guitarist Tony Iommi arrived in Yerevan on 1 October to take part in Mediamax’s Armenia Grateful 2 Rock project.
Asia’s Geoff Downes, legendary Australian tennis player Pat Cash and the creator of Rock Aid Armenia project, head of Australian non-profit Do Something Jon Dee also traveled to Yerevan for the project.
Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi at the Yerevan Brandy Company Photo: Mediamax
During that visit, Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi, Geoff Downes and Jon Dee were awarded Orders of Honor for “substantial and continuous support for Armenia and the Armenian people”.
While handing out the orders on October 2, Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan noted that it was “a special day for Armenian people”.
“We are hosting world-famous people to express gratitude to them on behalf of the Armenian people. 20 years have passed from that tragic date, but our people still remembers the losses we bore in 1988 and expresses huge gratitude to all those who held us a helping hand in those difficult days,” he said.
Geoff Downes, Ian Gillan, Jon Dee, Tigran Sargsyan and Tony Iommi Photo: Mediamax
“I never imagined that I would be awarding people, whose fan I was. Today is one of the happiest days in my life,” added the Prime Minister.
The conversation with Obama
During the visit to Los Angeles, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan held a telephone talk with U.S. President Barack Obama on October 5.
Barack Obama expressed his support for Sargsyan’s efforts aimed at normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and confirmed the United States’ conviction that the process of normalization should run without pre-conditions and it must not be linked to Karabakh conflict.
• 5 YEARS AGO: SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 6, 2014
“Hard times are ahead for Armenia”
On 30 September head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation to Armenia Mark Horton stated that “hard times are ahead for Armenia” due to regional developments, sanctions and geopolitical complications.
Mark Horton and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan Photo: Armenian President’s press office
According to Horton, in those circumstances the government of Armenia had to undertake “resolute action” to carry out structural reforms.
Ara Tadevosyan
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