"January 27, 2026: Armenia Holds Its First Day of Remembrance for Fallen Defenders" by Carlo Coppola
2026 թվականի հունվարի 27-ը։ Հայաստանը նշում է զոհված պաշտպանների հիշատակի առաջին օրը: Կառլո Կոպպոլայի հոդված.
January 27, 2026 enters the civic history of the Republic of Armenia as the first public celebration of the Day of Remembrance of Those Killed in Defense of the Homeland, a national observance dedicated to honoring the memory of all those who sacrificed their lives in defense of the country.
The law establishing the Day of Remembrance of Those Killed in Defense of the Homeland—to be observed annually on January 27—was recently approved by the Armenian Parliament and promulgated by the President of the Republic, Vahagn Khachaturyan. For the first time, Armenia’s national calendar now includes a non-working public holiday devoted to commemorating all fallen defenders of the homeland, without reference to a single historical conflict.
This newly instituted day precedes by one day the well-established Armenian Army Day, celebrated on January 28, symbolically underscoring the continuity between the remembrance of sacrifice and the recognition of the vital role of the national armed forces.
During the official ceremony held at the Yerablur Military Pantheon in Yerevan, Armenia’s highest state authorities—including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Khachaturyan—paid tribute to the fallen by laying flowers and laurel wreaths in honor of the defenders of the homeland.
The commemoration was also attended by H.E. Alessandro Ferranti, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Armenia. His institutional presence at the ceremony held at the Eternal Flame in Victory Park in Yerevan was documented by official sources of the Italian Embassy, signaling respect and solidarity toward this new commemorative tradition established by the Republic of Armenia.
Although no official public statement—either verbal or written—was released by Ambassador Ferranti specifically on the occasion of the event, his participation reflects Italy’s diplomatic commitment to supporting initiatives of civic remembrance and to strengthening institutional relations with Armenia.
On other public occasions, Ambassador Ferranti has emphasized the importance of the historical and cultural ties between Italy and Armenia, noting that the long-standing friendship between the two countries is grounded in shared values and an expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, including culture and research, thereby fostering a deep and constructive dialogue between the two societies.
The Day of Remembrance of Those Killed in Defense of the Homeland is part of a broader and growing framework of civic commemorations in contemporary Armenia, formally acknowledging the sacrifice of the nation’s defenders within a context of collective reconciliation. The participation of foreign diplomatic representatives, including the Italian Ambassador, highlights the international significance attributed to this day of remembrance and underscores the role of historical memory in building cooperation and dialogue among states.
