Armenian Government Introduces January 27 Remembrance Day, Shifting Away From 2020 War Anniversaries

Armenia has officially added a new public holiday to its national calendar to honor those who lost their lives defending the country. On Tuesday, the National Assembly voted to establish January 27 as the Day of Remembrance for Those Who Fell Defending the Homeland.

With this decision, Armenia now has thirteen official non-working public holidays. The new remembrance day will take effect immediately, meaning it will already be observed this year.

Following the parliamentary vote, Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan confirmed that the president would sign the law without delay so it could come into force right away.

“At our request, the president will sign the law as soon as possible so that it enters into force this year. Accordingly, January 27 of this year will be a non-working day,” Rubinyan announced.

The new holiday is intended to honor all Armenian soldiers and fighters who have died defending the homeland throughout the country’s long history. It is not connected to one specific war or battle. Instead, lawmakers described it as a general day of remembrance, similar in spirit to the United Kingdom’s Remembrance Day, which honors fallen service members from different conflicts.

January 27 was also chosen because it comes one day before Armenia’s Army Day, which is marked on January 28 and is already an official bank holiday. The two days together are expected to form a period focused on remembrance, respect, and recognition of the Armenian armed forces.

Officials emphasized that the creation of this new holiday does not replace or affect Genocide Victims Commemoration Day, which continues to be observed every year on April 24. That date remains dedicated specifically to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Not all members of parliament supported the new holiday. Opposition factions either voted against the bill or chose to abstain. One of the strongest critics was opposition lawmaker Artsvik Minasyan, who argued that the move was more about public image than genuine remembrance. He described the decision as a publicity-driven step rather than a meaningful act honoring the fallen.

The establishment of the January 27 remembrance day comes after the government abandoned an earlier plan in 2024. That proposal suggested marking September 27 as a remembrance day, the date when Azerbaijan launched its offensive in 2020, triggering the Second Karabakh war. However, that proposal was never officially submitted to parliament and was eventually dropped.

In recent years, September 27 and November 9 have carried strong symbolic weight in Armenia. September 27 marks the start of the 2020 war, while November 9 marks the anniversary of the ceasefire that ended the fighting. In earlier years, senior Armenian officials, including top state leaders, visited the Yerablur Military Pantheon on both dates to pay tribute to fallen soldiers.

In 2025, however, the prime minister and other senior officials did not visit Yerablur on either September 27 or November 9. This absence stood out, as it marked a clear break from previous practice and drew public attention.

The introduction of January 27 as a national day of remembrance appears to be part of a broader shift in how the state officially honors military losses. While supporters see it as a unifying day that respects all who sacrificed their lives for Armenia, critics remain divided over its timing and political meaning.

Starting this year, January 27 will be observed as a solemn non-working day across the country, dedicated to remembering those who died defending Armenia, regardless of the era or conflict in which they served.

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