On February 3, the Ambassador of Armenia to the USA, Narek Mkrtchyan, participated in the "Save Armenia 2.0 Launch" event held within the framework of the International Religious Freedom Summit. This is reported by the embassy.
During the event, Ambassador Mkrtchyan made a speech, presenting RA's approaches to the protection of the fundamental right to freedom of religion and belief. The ambassador emphasized that freedom of religion is one of the basic human freedoms, which enables individuals to form their identity, values and moral choices without fear, pressure or discrimination.
In his speech, the ambassador noted that Armenia, as the first country to adopt Christianity as the state religion, has rich historical experience regarding the role of faith in preserving national identity and culture. At the same time, he emphasized that modern Armenia is a secular state where all citizens are equal before the law, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Ambassador Mkrtchyan also presented the diverse religious environment of Armenia, stressing that besides the special historical role of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, Yezidi, Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Evangelical and other religious communities operate freely in the country, whose rights are protected in the same legal framework.
The ambassador highlighted the fact that the protection of freedom of belief contributes to social stability and democratic resilience, noting that the politicization and manipulation of religion can deepen divisions and threaten long-term security.
At the same time, Ambassador Mkrtchyan expressed regret that the prestigious platform of the International Religious Freedom Summit was used by a political movement led by oligarchs to discredit Armenia's democratic path and influence the pre-election processes.
Summarizing, Ambassador Narek Mkrtchyan reaffirmed Armenia's commitment to continue protecting freedom of religion or belief both within the country and on international platforms, considering it as a fundamental component of democratic stability and lasting peace. He concluded his speech with the parable of the Bible 16:8. "It is better to have a little with justice than to have a lot of income with injustice."
