Stepanakert Mayor Davit Sargsyan's congratulatory message on Stepanakert Day.

"Dear compatriots, today we celebrate Stepanakert Day. With its heroic past, the capital of Artsakh deserves a festive, colorful outfit and exciting events, which Stepanakert, Stepanakert residents, and guests were already used to. But September 27, 2020, also forced inevitable changes in this regard. While abstaining from festive events, today we are obliged to direct double and triple efforts to build and strengthen this small piece of our motherland protected at the cost of heroes' lives.

We are obliged for the sake of the memory of our martyrs; we are compelled for the sake of future generations. We have chosen that bumpy but honorable path since the 1990s. Every passing day is marked by adding another shade to the face of the capital, building another building, improving another street, and adding another new opportunity to the urban environment.

After the war, there was a sharp increase in the population of Stepanakert. Thousands of our compatriots displaced from the occupied settlements of Artsakh have found refuge in Stepanakert. We welcomed everyone with open arms. We are sure that the day will come and their dream will come true. Everyone will have the opportunity to return to their native hearth.

And until then, we will do everything to modernize and strengthen the city's infrastructure to overcome the unforeseen load and not disrupt the everyday life of the capital.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, I want to express my gratitude to our community companies and many partner organizations for ensuring the vitality of the city... Incense and bow to the memory of our heroes, who consciously put their lives on the altar for the sake of Stepanakert...

Dear compatriots, the city at the crossroads of our cultures and eras will still celebrate its day with laughter, song, and dance. Each of us, in our place and with full responsibility, has to do our best to bring that day closer... Happy holiday, city-mother of Artsakh, Stepanakert, the city of our heart."