YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the National Press Club a reception was organized in the Marriott hotel on November 22, where there were public-political figures, representatives of the information field, and journalists among those invited. During the reception Narine Mkrtchian, the Chairwoman of the National Press Club, made a speech, the text of which is completely introduced below: "Dear guests, friends and colleagues, Let me express thankfulness to you for taking part in our jubilee on behalf of the National Press Club. Today the National Press Club celebrates the 10th anniversary of its establishment. We founded the National Press Club with a group of operating, let me say, leading journalists of Armenia on May 20, 1997 and, the statement adopted by its constituent assembly stressed: "After gaining independence the problem on establishing a new system of values is set in front of the third Republic of Armenia. This problem is inseparable from the establishment of the new generation of the fourth power. In order to realize that primary goal, it is necessary that the journalists operating in Armenia unite around national, democratic and professional values. In accordance with this, we establish the National Press Club. The student years of our generation coincided with the Gorbachev's reconstruction and our public-political thinking was formed under the influence of the ideas and values brought by it. In the modern journalism our generation of journalists became an instrument for clearing the way and the task of those, who clear the way, is always difficult. The constantly changing and feverish times forced or contributed to the way to be passed by our generation for tens of years to be greatly reduced. The values brought by freedom and independence had converted the sea of journalism into a storm, in the waves of which we were either to learn to swim or drown. Our generation of journalists, which was given a minimum right for making a mistake, was brave, terse and hard. That generation was formed and matured on the pages of the opposition or state newspapers of the independent Armenia, in newly-opened information agencies, in the air of television and radio. The pant of the 90s, the searchings, the realization and interpretation of the truths brought by the new times are still preserved on the pages of the newpapers, information tapes and in the air of those times. The new, that is, the post-soviet journalism of Armenia was formed as a result or due to three main public-political prerequisites: 1. Gorbachev's reconstruction, 2. Karabakh movement, 3. Independence of Armenia. Being formed and operating in the constantly changing and feverish times, the National Press Club had to endure the pant of the times, from time to time finding itself in the focus of events. Showing hospitality and giving tribune to different public-political forces, the National Press Club has never been and will never be under the influence of any political stream, force or authority. Independence, freedom, publicity, and pluralism are the fundamental principles of the activities of our organization. The National Press Club was created as an independent organization and is the same at present as well. We realized that for preserving the independence of our organization we had to pay by our self-sacrifice, by investing our effors, time and youthfulness in the establishment of this organization. During these ten years the National Press Club has organized more than 400 meetings with public, political, state, economic, and cultural figures, discussions on heated public subjects, journalistic visits to Nagorno Karabakh and Javakhk, as well as actions of protest and disagreement, to name but a few. At the same time, in the stream of the frantic development of events it was difficult to differentiate the essence of the newly being formed traditions of the Armenian journalism, to seek and find the ways, which will enable to raise the new Armenian journalism to a new level of guality. The post-soviet journalism is currently standing in front of serious problems, which speak about the fact that journalism in Armenia is retreating. On the one hand, serious limitations of freedom, detention, encroachments upon journalists, on the other hand, decrease in the confidence of society, as well as in professional qualities and modesty. 16 years have passed since Armenia became independent: this was not a short period at all for our constantly changing and oversaturated times and was quite enough for finishing the process of democratization in Armenia. However, the ship changed its course, our flag, on which the cherished words about freedom, democracy and national ideas were written, was torn into pieces from various winds and waverings. The modern world is based on pragmatism, however, that very world is being moved forward by ideas, convictions and values. The National Press Club, being sure of the vitality of those values, has tried to pass that confidence to the sphere of public relations. We have made our choice in favour of free, independent press, our claim and faith towards which is still unshakable. The coming day of the Armenian journalism is born out of the current achievements and losses and will become their condensation and reflection in the future. Our generation of journalists, which has entered the post-soviet journalism, the representatives of which are the members of the National Press Service, have their indisputable investment in the formation of free speech and press, as well as information field in Armenia and in the defence of professional values. We are sure that the future of our country is the free, independent press, the freedom of information, the human fundamental rights and freedoms. Let this day be a day for free press, for protection and celebration in honour of free speech. Long live free press. Long live free and democratic Armenia.

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