Painter Haykaz Khachatryan (1920-1989) and a group of Armenians held a demonstration on 24 April 1965 near the tomb of Komitas in Yerevan.

The National United Party (NUP) was founded on 24 April 1966, by painter Haykaz Khachatryan, Stepan Zatikyan and Shahen Harutyunyan.

The main goals of the NUP were the independence of Soviet Armenia, the establishment of democracy, and the elimination of the consequences of the Armenian genocide.

On his return to Armenia in August 1987, Hayrikyan founded a successor party to the NUP, the Union for National Self-Determination.

Many prominent figures of independent Armenia, including Ashot Navasardyan, Movses Gorgisyan and Andranik Margaryan, were former members of the National United Party.