Armen Sarkissian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Armen Sarkissian
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Արմեն Սարգսյան
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Official portrait, 2018
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| 4th President of Armenia | |
| In office 9 April 2018 – 1 February 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Serzh Sargsyan Nikol Pashinyan |
| Preceded by | Serzh Sargsyan |
| Succeeded by | Alen Simonyan (acting) Vahagn Khachaturyan |
| 5th Prime Minister of Armenia | |
| In office 4 November 1996 – 20 March 1997 |
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| President | Levon Ter-Petrosyan |
| Preceded by | Hrant Bagratyan |
| Succeeded by | Robert Kocharyan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 June 1952 Yerevan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Nouneh Sarkissian |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Yerevan State University |
| Signature |  |
Armen Vardani Sarkissian (Armenian: Արմեն Վարդանի Սարգսյան; born 23 June 1952) is an Armenian politician, scientist, and businessman. He was the 4th president of Armenia from 2018 to 2022. He also served as Prime Minister of Armenia from 1996 to 1997. He was the first president of modern Armenia who was born in the former Armenian SSR.
Sarkissian was one of the longest-serving ambassadors from any country to the United Kingdom. He held this role several times, starting in 1992. He was also Armenia's first ambassador to places like the Vatican, the European Union, and NATO. He was known as a "Senior Ambassador" in Europe.
He was the first chairman of the Global Council on Energy Security at the World Economic Forum. He has written many scientific articles and often speaks about international topics. His writings have appeared in well-known newspapers and magazines.
In 2022, Sarkissian announced he was writing a book called The Small States Club: How Small Smart States can Save the World. This book was listed as one of the "15 books to look forward to in 2023" by the Diplomatic Courier.
Contents
Education and Early Career
Armen Sarkissian studied at Yerevan State University. He focused on theoretical physics and mathematics. He is an honorary doctor of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
From 1976 to 1984, he taught physics at Yerevan State University. In 1984, he became a visiting professor at the University of Cambridge in England. There, he worked with famous scientists like Stephen Hawking.
In 1988, he started a new department at Yerevan State University. This department focused on using computers to model complex systems.
Sarkissian also helped create a video game called Wordtris in 1991. This game was a spin-off of the very popular game Tetris. For a while, Wordtris was one of the most popular video games sold worldwide.
Political and Diplomatic Work
In 1991, Sarkissian helped set up the first Armenian embassy in London. This was Armenia's first official office in a Western country. He later became a senior ambassador to Europe. He also served as ambassador to NATO, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and the Vatican. From 1995 to 1996, he was Armenia's main representative to the European Union.
In 1996, Sarkissian was chosen as the Prime Minister of Armenia. During his time, he made important changes to the economy and politics. He removed the Ministry of Information, which allowed for more press freedom. He also worked on improving Armenia's energy system and government services. He resigned in 1997 due to health reasons.
After recovering, Sarkissian worked as an advisor for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). He also became a successful consultant for large international companies.
Sarkissian held many important positions in different organizations. He worked to support democratic leadership and help solve conflicts peacefully. He also promoted good government, open markets, and human rights. He is a trustee of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, which is the largest Armenian charity in the world.
President of Armenia
Becoming President
In January 2018, the then-President, Serzh Sargsyan, asked Armen Sarkissian to become the next president. Sarkissian's job would be to improve Armenia's foreign relations, connect with Armenians living abroad, and bring in foreign investments. He also focused on science, education, and culture.
The ruling political party supported Sarkissian's candidacy. Other political groups in the parliament also supported him.
On March 2, 2018, Sarkissian was elected president by the National Assembly. He won with 90 votes out of 105.
Inauguration
Sarkissian officially became president on April 9, 2018. The ceremony took place at the Karen Demirchyan Complex in Yerevan. After the ceremony, he visited the Yerablur military cemetery.
During His Presidency
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Soon after Sarkissian became president, there were large protests in Armenia. These protests were known as The Velvet Revolution. Armen Sarkissian played a key role in keeping the protests peaceful. He even walked into the crowds without security to talk to the protesters. Many believe his actions helped prevent violence.
Sarkissian made several official visits to other countries. In May 2018, he visited Tbilisi, Georgia. In May 2019, he visited Almaty, Kazakhstan. He suggested that Armenia could become an "international financial center."
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In 2018, Sarkissian started the Armenian chapter of the Summit of Minds. This annual event brought together leaders, business people, and thinkers to Armenia.
During the 2020 conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, Sarkissian was seen as a strong diplomat for Armenia. However, his powers as president were limited by the Constitution. He could not directly manage the war or the peace talks. This was a big reason for his later decision to resign.
In October 2021, Sarkissian made a historic visit to Saudi Arabia. This was the first time an Armenian official had visited the kingdom, as the two countries do not have official diplomatic relations. He met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Sarkissian often spoke about his frustration with the limited powers of the presidency. He believed the Constitution needed to be changed to give the president more tools to help the country.
In January 2022, Sarkissian resigned as President. He stated that the president in Armenia had "no real tools" to influence important issues like war and peace. He felt the country was a "parliamentary republic in shape, but not in content." He said he could not use his full potential to help Armenia.
After his resignation, there were some questions about his past citizenship. Sarkissian explained that he had made an investment in St. Kitts and Nevis, which offered citizenship. He clarified that he had given up his right to that citizenship. An investigation later found that allegations against him were not true.
During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sarkissian gave many interviews to international news. He asked for action against the violence and compared the situation to towns during World War II. After the ceasefire, he called for a day of remembrance for those who died in the war. He also called for new elections and a "National Accord Government" to help stabilize the country.
Official Visits Hosted by Sarkissian
| Country | Dates | Leader | Notes |
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 Italy |
30 July 2018 | President Sergio Mattarella | He awarded Sarkissian with the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic |
 Germany |
24 August 2018 | Chancellor Angela Merkel | |
 Georgia |
13 March 2019 | President Salome Zurabishvili | |
 Greece |
5 November 2019 | President Prokopis Pavlopoulos | |
 Jordan |
11–13 February 2020 | King Abdullah II | |
 France |
October 2020 | President Emmanuel Macron | |
| Italy |
October 2020 | President Sergio Mattarella |
Personal Life
Armen Sarkissian married Nouneh Sarkissian in 1978. She is a researcher. They have two adult children. Besides Armenian and Russian, he also speaks fluent English. He is a personal friend of Charles III, who visited Armenia in 2013 as Sarkissian's guest.
In January 2021, Sarkissian tested positive for COVID-19 while in London. He recovered and returned to Armenia.
Awards
From Armenia
- In 2017, Sarkissian received the first degree medal For Services to Homeland Armenia.
- In 2008, he received the St. Gregory the Illuminator medal from Garegin II, the head of the Armenian Church.
- In 1997, he received the St. Gregory the Great Order from Pope John Paul II.
From Other Countries
- In 2021, Sarkissian received the highest award from the Holy See, the Grand Collar of the Papal Order of Pius IX.
In 2018, Sarkissian received Italy's highest award, the Knight of the Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.- John Edwin Mroz Global Statesman Award (EastWest Institute, 2018).
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2018
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Armen Sarkissian's signature
See also
In Spanish: Armén Sarkissian para niños
