Pashinyan: Most Armenian children do not know that Mount Ararat is located in Türkiye

Most children in Armenia are unaware that Mount Ararat is located in Türkiye, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told journalists at the congress of the Civil Contract Party.

According to Report, he was asked to comment on opposition claims that the government is attempting to take away a national symbol from the Armenian people.

“I approached a campfire and asked the children: What is the highest mountain in Armenia? Seventy percent of them answered Ararat. They don”t even know that Ararat is not located within the territory of the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan said, expressing concern.

“Many of those who speak with us-even Armenians-are unaware of this, because we keep saying it”s ours. Later, they find out and are surprised: ‘Isn”t Ararat in Armenia?” What do they think about us?”

Pashinyan did not specify when or under what circumstances the conversation with the children took place.

The Prime Minister also touched on what he called a flawed model of patriotism, pointing to the use of toponyms and names unrelated to Armenia, from football clubs to supermarkets.

His comments come after the Armenian government”s decision on September 11 to remove the image of Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı in Turkish) from the country”s visa stamps.