YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS:

There is an opinion that there is no holiday, rest for sportsmen and people related to sport: irrespective of everything they continue training. Armenpress news agency spoke with the Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Arthur Petrosyan about his expectations from the New Year and how he is going to mark it.

- Mr. Petrosyan, New Year has a special sacrament. On this day people make wishes, believe in miracles. Do you believe in New Year miracle? 

- I do not believe in miracles, I have wishes that may come true only by miracle. Only children believe in simple miracles, when a child wakes up and wants to see the whole world changed, be more festive. Afterwards the dreams are being more concretized and become just wishes. Miracle is something unexplainable, positive, unprecedented and the birth of a child can be classified among it. New Year is the most massive holiday which everyone enjoys. But only in case you see that it is really a holiday for all, this will be the greatest miracle.

- Is there a dream, a wish you make each New Year so that it comes true?

- Person changes during the years and the wishes too. Part of them come true, and you have to cope with the impossibility of the realization of the other part. Only one thing should be remembered that every parent ties his/her wishes first of all with children. My New Year dream is to enjoy the holiday with all.

- Everyone loves getting presents. There are also presents which are being remembered throughout the life. Which one will you remember?

- I remember when my children newly learnt writing and painting with the help of their grandma they prepared a New Year card and gave it to me. I think it is the most impressing one. Seventeen years passed but I keep these cards.

- Though celebrations bring happiness and joy, very often they are accompanied with pleasant “worries” among them is New Year shopping. Is it a worry or pleasure for you?

- When my children were small I was doing it with pleasure, and now I enjoy when they are doing it themselves, with the same style. I was trying to persuade them for a long time that Santa Claus exists but the environment proved them the opposite. I was always saying that those who believe in the existence of Santa Claus, he exists for them, who do not - there is no Santa for them. If you do not believe, you should not wait for presents too.

- What will you wish the people in New Year?

- Besides the traditional health, success, happiness I will wish people not to consider other’s success their failure. I will wish athletes health, will, determination. People must not forget that the most important thing is mood and smile which is the light of human’s soul. If a person frankly smiles in the street it offers friendship.