YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. By the UNESCO decision, February 21 is marked as the International Day of Mother Tongue, and three years ago, on the initiative of Hranush Hakobian, the Chairwoman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Youth Issues, the National Assembly affirmed February 21 in the state calendar as the Day of Mother Tongue. The celebration held in the Yerevan Arno Babajanian Philharmonic Small Concert Hall on February 21 was dedicated to that day. The celebration was initiated by the Yerevan Mayor's Office and the RA National Institute for Education. Representatives of the RA Government and Yerevan Mayor's Office, artists and pedagogues participated in the event. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian addressed his congratulation message to the celebration participants. He particularly mentioned that though the Mother Tongue holiday is officially marked in Armenia for the second time, but it has already had its unique place in the row of Armenian traditional holidays. Hranush Hakobian, the Chairwoman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Education, Science, Culture and Youth Issues in her turn mentioned that indifference towards the mother tongue is equal to betrayal. In the speaker's words, the holiday also obliges to multiply efforts to keep the mother tongue as it is one of the most powerful spurs of the Armenians' national originality and spiritual safety.

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