YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Armenia has traditionally been more inclined to learn about and study science and culture–which is apparent by the scientific-historical monumen’s created over a millennia–said Armenian Parliament Speaker Armen Khachatrian during his meeting with UNESCO General Director Koichiro Matsura on Tuesday.
According to the National Assembly Public Relations Department–Khachatrian emphasized that the Parliament always considers culture–science and education when making important decisions.
He pointed out that over the past month–meetings with PACE and CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly commissions on culture–information–science and education were held at the Armenian parliament–where they discussed the preservation of cultural monumen’s in the region.
The Armenian speaker expressed his gratitude for including Armenia’s historical monumen’s in UNESCO’s programs of preservation and restoration. Matsura said the process will also help Armenia’strengthen its political and economic ties in the region.
Koichiro Matsura emphasized that he was the first General Director of UNESCO to visit Armenia–and he expressed readiness to expand and deepen UNESCO’s cooperation with Armenia.
He hopes that the successful work of the International Conference of Donors would further this cooperation. Matsura also stressed Armenia’s profound contributions to the history of world culture.
Matsura went on to say that Armenia has a great potential for tourism "which may become a signal for overall economic development."
According to Matsura–Armenia is appealing to many around the world–but the lack of information has become an obstacle stopping tourists from visiting.
"Being located at the crossroads of civilizations–Armenia has seen its culture constantly develop and absorb elemen’s of the cultures of neighboring people. Armenian religious traditions–language and alphabet–created in the 5th century–have created rich literary and historical monumen’s and folklore," Matsura continued.
Koichiro Matsura awarded a silver medal to Armen Khachatrian as a symbol of his desire to deepen their friendship and cooperation.
The conference is expected to consider 26 programs–of which 14 were drafted by Armenia’s culture ministry–whereas the others have been prepared by different public organizations.
Matsura said the donor organizations should themselves choose the programs they think to be interesting.