Several public commentators in Armenia criticized the significance of the recent Yerevan-Erebouni festivities, calling them financially wasteful and void of true cultural significance.

Karineh Hakobyan said that mass public celebrations like Yerevan-Erebouni were not only a drain on the Armenian budget, but that such annual festivities also psychologically drained our culture.

“The money spent could have cleaned up the entire Komitas Park. Four years from now we will mark the 2,800th anniversary of Yerevan. But it will not be celebrated in proper style since we celebrate the holiday every year. It loses its significance. Other countries celebrate the anniversary of cities every ten or twenty five years,” Hakobyan said.

She argued that such celebrations are just opportunities for the public to have some fun but have nothing to do with preserving our core cultural values.

“People love the city by taking care of it and not by participating in festivities. If you really want to properly prepare for the 2,800th Yerevan-Erebouni anniversary, let’s start by cleaning and greening the city rather than allowing for construction all over the place,” Hakobyan noted.

Architect Levon Igityan said there was nothing healthy in mob psychology and that mass celebrations were void of cultural value.

Igityan added that the government was not to blame, however, since some celebrations are organized by individuals and groups.