The 2025 Hero of Our Time award ceremony took place at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex in Yerevan, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in attendance.

The main award was presented to astronomer Avetik Grigoryan.

Prior to the award handover, Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered remarks emphasizing the impact of personal initiative.

“We must increasingly focus on and draw public attention to the idea that individuals matter, that individuals can, and do, drive real change. Sometimes our understanding of state-building or national development becomes rigid. From time to time, we must revisit these ideas,” he said.

He acknowledged the importance of all branches of government—legislative, executive, judicial, and local—but stressed that these institutions are shaped by personal decisions.

“Each voter shapes the identity and character of the government. This is why we must give even more attention to the role and power of the individual,” he added.

The Prime Minister also noted a significant increase in education-related awards this year.

“This aligns with our national strategies. We introduced the Universal Declaration System this year, which includes social credits, including for educational services. We anticipated that new services would emerge in education. Yes, a teacher can increase their salary through voluntary certification, but they can also create an enterprise outside school, generating both economic and educational impact,” he explained.

Pashinyan emphasized the importance of being open to new ideas and education.

He concluded by praising this year’s laureate: “It’s vital that we have individuals in Armenia who think on a national scale—sometimes even in place of the state. Hopefully, this mindset will inspire both the government and private sector to pay more attention to such work. Our laureate does this tirelessly—not just out of love for the work, but because they truly believe in it. That passion, that depth, inspires others as well.”