Honorable Mr. President of the Republic of Armenia,

Honorable Mr. Prime Minister,

Honorable President of the National Assembly, 

Dear Ministers, Deputies,  

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

It is with great honor that I welcome you to Yerevan for the second edition of the Yerevan Dialogue. We are deeply proud to host you in our capital for a forum that aspires to be more than a conference - a platform for reflection, cooperation, and foresight.

You just watched on the screen how we portrayed some recent world-changing developments under the title “Navigating the Unknown” only two weeks ago. It is obvious how much of an update is needed in just two weeks, how many new significant events happened, and it is still unknown how these events will unfold tomorrow. While we witnessed certain positive and encouraging developments, we also observed how many deals were or were not agreed upon. It is still unknown how many hybrid attacks were carried out in just 14 days, how many homes were destroyed due to the ongoing conflicts and how many lives were lost. 

This year’s theme, “Navigating the Unknown,” speaks directly to the spirit of our time. The world is undergoing seismic changes in its geopolitics, its economies, its technologies, and its climate. Nations are losing their compass in the current turmoil. And only one thing is certain about those changes - we all know that the path shaped by these changes and the final destination still remain a huge Unknown.

Over the past few years, we have been talking a lot about uncertainties, unusual phenomena and developments in the world, things that no one could believe would happen after World War II. 

The foundations of the once-established international order are under strain. Principles of international law, among others, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, once held as sacred, have lost their weight. They seem now to be just beautiful words coined in declarations and charters, very often useless. 

Alliances are losing their coherence, once-unshakable bonds are shattering. Interests of former adversaries are unexpectedly getting closer, leaving the treaty-bound allies vulnerable and changing the mosaic. 

International consensus is fraying amid rising geopolitical tensions. Rhetoric involving nuclear threats has re-emerged in global discourse, bringing back some of the deepest fears of the last century.

The EU, born as a regional economic integration community, but primarily as a peace project, is considering a plan to ReArm Europe, aiming at a significant increase of the defense budget. 

We are witnessing deep wounds of humanitarian crisis - where famine grips communities, supply chains are disrupted, and the shadows of terrorism, hate speech and intolerance threaten the very fabric of human dignity and coexistence. Ethnic cleansing is not a distant horror - it is happening before our eyes, and we have seen it firsthand, at our borders.

The suffering in Ukraine and Gaza is not isolated - it also reflects broader systemic failures.

What was once a phantom of hybrid war has now become an undeniable reality. Disinformation and fake news become weapons capable of damaging the very fundamentals of democracy. 

Trade wars are intensifying, fueled by the imposition of unprecedented tariffs. 

The race for mastering artificial intelligence increasingly leaves the ethical aspect behind, eliminating safeguards and bypassing oversight, thus deepening the unease over the unpredictable future. 

The search for new energy sources is accelerating, with the potential to reshape the global economy and the daily lives of millions. 

The climate no longer follows familiar patterns, melting one year, freezing the next.

So, humanity is facing a great Unknown. 

Understandably, this creates an impression of chaos and provokes a sense of panic among individuals, families and nations. But this is not the first time we are passing through the “Unknown”.  

Just recently, in the days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scale and fear of human loss surged dramatically and suddenly, transforming everything from interpersonal relationships and livelihoods to work structures and even the way we think. No one knew what the post-pandemic world would look like, yet history reminds us that the world has faced such severe epidemics also before, on different scales and in a different information age - the Black Death and the Spanish flu, to mention a few.

The two World Wars, despite their catastrophic human cost, stimulated technological innovations that revolutionized medicine, communication, and transportation.

Today, artificial intelligence, which is transforming industries, eliminating professions and redefining the nature of work itself, reminds us of the times of the Industrial Revolution, when the first manufacturing techniques appeared.

Nowadays, the simple fact that the Earth revolves around the Sun was once a tremendous discovery, which challenged the whole worldview. This “unknown” was so unbelievable and frightening that one of the proponents of this theory, Giordano Bruno, was even burned at the stake. 

The discovery of new continents and territories, such as the Americas, revealed yet another dimension of the unknown, reshaping global consciousness. 

From the explorers who crossed uncharted oceans to our earliest ancestors who went beyond familiar hunting grounds, humanity has always stood at the edge of uncertainty. 

Our exploration of the unknown stretches back to early Homo sapiens, who, by chance, unlocked the power of a very dangerous unknown - the fire. 

So, this is not the end of the world. And if some people think we're facing the end of the world or describe our current reality as such, then perhaps this is simply one of many “ends of the world” we’ve survived before.

Humanity has consistently demonstrated what Nassim Nicholas Taleb calls "antifragility" - we do not merely survive stress tests, we emerge stronger - “the resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better.” That’s even the case on a personal level: each of us has become stronger and antifragile after overcoming a crisis, shock or a personal tragic event.

We have feared scientific progress, only to find ourselves in more comfortable environments, living healthier and longer. We have more knowledge, better tools, and stronger ways to connect globally than ever before. And indeed, in many measures, we live today in the most advanced era in human history.  

Yes, the uncertainty we face today is big, but we are more prepared than any generation before. Moreover, tectonic changes also bring up opportunities for progressive development, if we are smart and wise enough to illuminate the path forward and navigate the Unknown. 

Dear friends,

Armenia clearly identified the path forward: to overcome confrontation and promote cooperation, foster better connectivity and drive sustainable economic growth, enhance adaptability and innovation, strengthen democracy and the rule of law, focusing on the development of human capital. Creating such an environment for our citizens is a strategic priority for Armenia. 

At the same time, we believe the opportunities ahead of us lie in the restoration of respect for international law, reinforcing the synergy between the moral compass - commitment to the core values, and in the ability to make bold decisions. 

In our region, we are making a defining choice: to build a future shaped not by the grievances of the past, but by a vision full of optimism and hope, anchored on real opportunities. 

The history is known. It can not be forgotten. It cannot be rewritten, including through false narratives some may seek to promote. While the scars remain and healing is ongoing, we shall move ahead towards a better future.

Yet we know that peace is not an easy achievement - it is a continuous process, driven by courageous diplomacy, mutual understanding and trust building.

Armenia’s vision is clear: normalization of relations with two of our neighbors with full respect of each other's sovereignty and  territorial integrity, unequivocal rejection of territorial claims by any party, and deepening traditionally friendly relations with the others. 

As we navigate an evolving geopolitical landscape, Armenia remains steadfast in strengthening its partnerships also beyond the region. We have established solid and strategic partnerships - from the United States, across Europe, and into Asia. 

At the same time, we have actively promoted enhanced, broader connectivity, recognizing our country’s unique position at a true crossroads of civilizations and trade.

We are equally committed to contributing to global efforts in addressing common challenges. Armenia’s successful bid to host COP17 on Biodiversity in Yerevan, along with the recently announced European Political Community summit in spring 2026, reflect our growing responsibility and engagement on the international stage.

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Dear guests, 

Today, we bring together decision-makers, thinkers, activists, and entrepreneurs - not only to exchange ideas, but to generate actionable insights. In this room, gathered from diverse nations and disciplines, we possess ideas that are not just meant to respond to the future but also to shape it. “Yerevan Dialogue” can foster diverging, but also potentially converging answers, and what is more important is to offer concrete formulas and solutions.

It comes as no surprise that this year, we’ve welcomed a dedicated space for youth under the Young Fellows Program. The perspectives of young leaders are not merely valuable - they are essential. Those who will inherit tomorrow's world bring fresh approaches to today's challenges. Their digital nativity, global connectivity, and innovative thinking are precisely what we need.

To conclude, Navigating the unknown is not a solitary endeavour - it is a shared journey. Armenia extends its hand to all who are ready to walk this path with integrity, imagination, and a common vision of a world that embraces inclusion over isolation, wisdom over ignorance, and cooperation over confrontation.

Wishing us all thoughtful and impactful conversations throughout these two days.

Thank you.