A bill proposed by the ARF faction in the National Assembly to designate "Navasart" as Armenia's holiday of "national identity" has passed its first parliamentary hearing. 87 MP's voted in favor of passage, 3 abstained, and there were no votes against the bill. Today the bill's sponsors, ARF MP Ardzvik Minasyan and historians Artak Movsisyan and Hayk Chobanyan, presented their reasons for submitting the bill and the need for such a holiday at the Hayatsk Club. The bill would designate August 11th, the traditional celebration of "Navasart" as the national identity holiday. Historian Artak Movsisyan explained the selection of this date by saying, "The great victory of Hayk Nahapet became the start date for the Armenian traditional calendar. Famous Armenologist Ghevond Akishan calculated that the victory took place on August 11, 2492 B.C." The historian noted that the day was the first "Sun Day" in the month of Navasart and along the five holidays in the previous month of "Avelyats" were celebrated by early Armenians who called them the "Navasart Holidays