Independence Day (Armenia)

On August 23, 1990, Supreme Council adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Armenia proclaiming the Armenian SSR abolished and the establishment of the Republic of Armenia. Armenia refused to sign the New Union Treaty. After the failed August putsch, the people of Armenia voted in a referendum to proclaim independence from the Soviet Union on September 21, 1991. Levon Ter-Petrosyan was elected the first president of Armenia in November 1991. On December 21, 1991, Armenia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Armenia gained independence formally on December 26 in connection with the dissolution of the USSR. This is the second declaration of independence in modern Armenian history, the first having occurred on May 28, 1918, which led to the formation of the First Republic of Armenia. This First Armenian Republic was short-lived due to its partition by the Soviet Russia and Turkish Nationalist forces in late 1920. == Armenian Celebratory events ==

On Independence Day, ceremonies are held in Yerevan and other cities with the participation of the country's leadership, including speeches by the president and prime minister and flower-laying ceremonies at monuments to national heroes and memorials. From 1996 to 2016, military parades were held in Yerevan's Republic Square during anniversary years, with the participation of units of the Armed Forces of Armenia, as well as representatives of foreign armies. The cultural program includes concerts, exhibitions and festivals dedicated to Armenian history, art and traditions. In the evening, fireworks and light shows are held in the capital and major cities. Independence Day military parade The military parade was held in Yerevan, on Republic Square, in selected years from 1996 to 2016, as part of the Independence Day anniversary celebrations. The parade was accompanied by the performance of the national anthem, a ceremonial raising of the national flag, and official addresses delivered by members of the country's highest leadership. It was attended by units of the Armed Forces of Armenia, including the ground forces, air force, Border Troops, as well as cadets from military academies. Accompanied by a military orchestra, they marched in front of the podium, where the president, prime minister, parliamentary representatives, and foreign dignitaries were present. The parade featured displays of modern military equipment, including armored personnel carriers, artillery mounts, anti-aircraft warfare, and Unmanned aerial vehicles. Diaspora celebrations Independence day celebrations are also held in diaspora countries such as Russia, Lebanon and the United States. In the United States specifically, Armenian-American youth organizations hold rallies and cultural programs on this day. The Armenian Independence Day Festival in Los Angeles's Little Armenia was established in 1998, attracting around 5,000 spectators on Independence Day. In 2019, Prime Minister Pashinyan visited the city during the Independence Day celebrations, the first visit of its kind. On the holiday in 2020, the personal star of singer Arman Hovhannisyan was installed on the Walk of Fame in Las Vegas. That same year in Lebanon, Aram I (head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia) led the Divine Liturgy and ceremonial flag blessing in Antelias. Also on the holiday in 2020, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser proclaimed September the 21st as "Armenian Independence Day" in the United States capital city. Controversy with some celebrations In early September 2021, the government announced plans for celebrations of the 30th anniversary independence on a large scale. These plans were criticized by the public, with many, including family members of soldiers killed in the 44-day war, deeming it as inappropriate considering Armenia's defeat. Many opposed to these plans proposed a gathering at Yerablur on September 21. == International places lit in Armenian symbols on Independence Day ==

Flag of Armenia • Niagara Falls, Canada (2020) • Ottawa City Hall, Canada (2020) • Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2020) • Tbilisi TV Broadcasting Tower, Georgia (2020) • Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Tower, United Arab Emirates (2020) • Jack House Ukraine, Ukraine (2020) • Nur-Sultan City Centre, Kazakhstan (2020) • Cafe't Wapen van Drenthe, Assen, Netherlands (2020) • De Pijp, Groningen, Netherlands (2020) • Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel, Uruguay (2020) • Argentina National Flag Memorial, Argentina (2020) • International Gateway Bridge, Long Beach, California, United States (2024 & 2025) • Azadi Tower ('Freedom Tower'), Iran (2025) Other • Christ the Redeemer, Brazil (lit with the Independence flag and Armenian alphabet, 2020) Google Doodle Google Doodle annually dedicates a Doodle to celebrate Armenian Independence Day, along with a differing description of the festivities per year: • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2015, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2016, a special Google Doodle was dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's Yerevan Opera Theatre (Armenian National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2018, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2019, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2020, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2021, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2022, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2023, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2024, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) • Google Doodle (the September 21, 2025, Google Doodle was dedicated to Armenia's Independence Day, illustrated in the Doodle artwork is Armenia's red-blue-and-orange flag) == See also ==