"Golden Seeds" Educational Awards highlight education, memory, and responsibility

This year, 21 students from seven YSU faculties and institutes received educational awards. Named after young men who fell during the war, the awards are presented to students who have stood out for their academic excellence, as well as creative or scientific achievements. 

Arshaluys Galstyan, Dean of the Faculty of Armenian Philology, noted that the program has long outgrown the framework of a scholarship initiative. According to him, its significance lies not only in recognizing students' accomplishments but also in passing on the values embodied by the young people who lost their lives in the war.

He emphasized that the competitive selection stages organized across different faculties provide an opportunity to speak with students about the lives, journeys, and values of those young people. According to Galstyan, award recipients clearly understand the responsibility associated with receiving a named educational award, and its moral significance often outweighs its material component.

Galstyan added that such initiatives are particularly important within the university environment because they allow the younger generation not only to hear names but also to learn about the individuals behind them—their choices, ideas, and contributions. He also expressed gratitude to the parents and relatives who, over the years, have found the strength to speak about their children and pass on their memory to younger generations.

Armine Petrosyan, Director of the HaySanta Charitable Foundation, presented the program's history, noting that it was born out of profound loss and the need to transform that pain into meaningful action. She said the idea emerged following conversations with the family of Erik Gevorgyan, who was killed in the war, and from a desire to create an initiative connected to education and creativity.

Petrosyan explained that the first educational award, named after Erik Gevorgyan, was established in 2021. Over time, additional families and supporters joined the initiative. Today, eight named educational awards are presented across seven YSU faculties under the "Golden Seeds" program. 

According to Petrosyan, the initiative is founded on the belief that the names of young people who died in the war should continue to live on through education, science, and creative work. She noted that the awards are funded by supporters from Armenia and abroad who value initiatives aimed at advancing education.

This year, the Faculty of International Relations joined the program for the first time with the establishment of the Yervand Hajiyan Educational Award. 

Educational awards were presented in the Institute of Physics in memory of Erik Gevorgyan; at the Faculty of History in memory of Vahagn Tumasyan; at the Faculty of Journalism in memory of Vachagan Manukyan; at the Faculty of Armenian Philology in memory of Vardan Amalyan; at the Faculty of Oriental Studies in memory of Yazidi heroes; at the Faculty of Informatics and Applied Mathematics in memory of Ruben Hambardzumyan and David Yakovlev; and at the Faculty of International Relations in memory of Yervand Hajiyan. 

Hayk Hovhannisyan, a recipient of the educational award at the Institute of Physics, said receiving the award carries a great sense of responsibility. According to him, such initiatives remind young people that their professional advancement, scientific work, and achievements can also contribute to the country's development. 

He added that, as a student and junior researcher, he seeks to apply his knowledge and work to the advancement of science, emphasizing the importance of strong science and education for the country's future.

Mariam Abrahamyan, a recipient from the Faculty of Journalism, noted that such gatherings and initiatives help preserve the light and values left behind by the young people who lost their lives. In her view, the most important thing is ensuring that their memory continues through people's actions, education, and creative work.

The award ceremony was attended by the heroes' parents, relatives, and friends, as well as recipients from previous years. Bringing together representatives of different generations, the event centered on the shared values of education, remembrance, and responsibility.