Gayane Melkomyan: “We have been fortunate to be part of the construction of country of our dream

Lawyer Gayane Melkomyan, represented by the “My Step” alliance list, is from a repatriated family. She was born in England. She was four years old when the family decided to stay in Armenia. After the declaration of independence in 1991, the Persian-Armenian Melkomian family came to their homeland for permanent residence.

“These years were really hard for Armenia. It was a hot episode of war, economic and social conditions, but there was no alternative to our family. My father said, “We have a homeland, and we have nothing else to do.” My parents’ decision has never been a topic for discussion. That’s how our relationship with Armenia has been formed. For me and my three sisters, feelings towards Armenia are not just patriotism. We have never thought we should go elsewhere. This is my home, I feel good here, “says Gayane.

She has been actively involved in various civic initiatives since 2010, co-founder of “We Are This City’s owners” Initiative. During her student years, she struggled against the protection of green areas in Yerevan, illegal construction and dismantling of historical buildings.

“Yes, there are many problems in Armenia, but it also creates opportunities. We are fortunate not to come to live in a country where there is no problem, but to live in a country where there is a chance to make changes. We are fortunate enough to be part of the construction of the country we are dreaming of, “says Gayane.

“When you deal with important issues of the city for years, you understand that you still have limited possibilities. I thought that maybe this is the possibility we have been deprived of for years. This is an opportunity to solve problems on another platform. One of the long-term goals of our civic initiatives and street fighting was to instill a high level of civic engagement among people, in our example, showing that each of us can stand up for our rights. When it became clear that there would be extraordinary elections in the Yerevan Council of Elders, I thought that this was an opportunity to make changes inside the decision-making phase rather than fight against their consequences, “says Gayane.