Recently, the Republican Branch Union of Trade Union Organizations of Cultural Workers of Armenia once again celebrated the professional holiday of International Theatre Day in Hall 808 of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia (CTUA).

The event was attended by the best-performing workers of 2025 from the service staff of the following theatres: the Alexander Spendiaryan National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, the Dramatic Theater after Hrachya Ghaplanyan, State Theatre of Musical Comedy After Hakob Paronyan, Yerevan State Puppet Theatre after H. Toumanyan, Marionette Theatre, Henrik Malyan Theatre, Vanadzor State Drama Theatre Named after Hovhannes Abelyan and the “Bohem” Theatre. The workers had been selected through joint decisions of trade union committees and theatre administrations and were nominated to receive certificates of appreciation from the Republican Branch Union.

Members of the Council and Executive Committee of the Republican Branch Union, as well as chairpersons of trade union committees, also participated in the event. Among the invited guests were CTUA Deputy President Boris Kharatyan and Laura Demirchyan, Head of the Department for Labour and Social Rights. On the occasion of the professional holiday, Esma Simonyan, Chairwoman of the Republican Branch Union, welcomed and congratulated the participants. Referring to this important event in the cultural sphere, the Chairwoman noted that, in her opinion, International Theatre Day is a particularly significant celebration for the Armenian people, as it reminds us of the ancient origins and glorious history of Armenian theatre. She emphasized that this rich heritage is evidenced, first and foremost, by foreign historical sources, including the writings of the Greek historian Plutarch. Thanks to such historical accounts, not only Armenian scholars but also international experts in theatre history can learn about the remarkable past of Armenian theatre — a tradition dating back more than 2,000 years. She highlighted the legacy of King Artavazd II of Armenia, a great admirer of theatre, who not only organized performances at the theatre of Artashat, the capital of ancient Armenia, but also wrote and staged plays himself. She also noted that performances by renowned Greek tragedians were presented at the Artashat theatre, with roles performed by Greek tragic actors. One of these performances was held as part of the celebrations marking a major Armenian victory over the Romans, when, according to historical accounts, a messenger unexpectedly entered and placed at the feet of King Artavazd II the severed head of the defeated Roman commander Crassus. This historical legacy demonstrates that Armenians have had deep-rooted traditions of appreciating and valuing theatre, recognizing its importance as a means of cultural and moral education. As Khrimian Hayrik, the founder of the theatre in Van, once stated: “The theatre is a kind of temple for educating human morals.”

Addressing the theatre professionals present at the event, the Chairwoman noted that it is they who, through their professionalism, responsible conduct, and dedicated work, create on stage the atmosphere that one of the great writers and playwrights of the 19th century, Victor Hugo, described as follows:

"The theatre is an imaginary world where trees are made of paper, castles of fabric, and the sky of cotton. There is makeup on faces, and the sun rises from the depths of the earth. At the same time, the theatre is our real life: human hearts beat on the stage, human hearts beat behind the scenes, and human hearts also beat in the theatre hall."

Theatre is an art form of today, of the present moment, and of direct human interaction — and this is the source of its power, influence, and enduring relevance.

Concluding her remarks, the Chairwoman awarded the participants certificates of appreciation from the Republican Branch Union of Trade Union Organizations of Cultural Workers of Armenia, along with a monetary award of 15,000 AMD each.

The participants were also congratulated by CTUA Deputy President Boris Kharatyan and Norik Muradkhanyan, a member of the Executive Committee of the Republican Branch Union.

The event continued around the reception tables with warm and informal conversations, mutual congratulations, and words of appreciation.