RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports Vahram Dumanyan received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to RA Anne Lօuyot. Deputy Minister Artur Martirosyan was also present at the meeting. A number of issues related to the further strengthening of relations between the two countries in the field of education and culture, as well as the expansion and enrichment of the multilateral cooperation agenda, were discussed.
Welcoming the attendees, Minister Vahram Dumanyan noted that the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports sticks to its commitment to the Francophonie framework and is ready to activate cooperation in that direction.
Ambassador Anne Louyot presented the willingness of the French side to support the deepening of French teaching in RA public educational institutions and the expansion of the program, which will contribute to increasing the effectiveness of teaching French in schools. As a successful model, the ambassador mentioned the example of Yerevan High School No. 119, emphasizing that she managed to communicate freely with the students of that school in French.
For this purpose, she proposed to implement similar programs and raise the level of French teaching in the regions of Armenia, particularly in Gyumri. The ambassador also pointed out the implementation of such a project in the city of Kapan, stressing the possibility of cooperation between Armenian Syunik and French Lyon.
During the meeting, a number of other issues related to the expansion of cooperation in the field of education were also discussed, in particular, the creation of the most favorable conditions for the activity of the French university in Armenia.
Vahram Dumanyan highly appreciated the activities of the French University in Armenia and stated that it best contributes to the development of Armenian-French friendship and the creation of new opportunities. The development of the university’s activities in the country was emphasized on both sides.
The parties also referred to the activities of the French Institute in Armenia, stressing that it will add a new quality to the cooperation between France and Armenia in the fields of education and culture. The French side has expressed readiness to send young teachers to Armenia to support French teachers.
According to the ambassador, the French Institute in Armenia will support this process. He also added that the institute will implement a process of teaching French and testing the language in a non-formal education format.
The meeting also discussed the “Armenia: Heritage education, conservation, and valorization” program, by which France supports the preservation, restoration, and valorization of the cultural heritage of Armenia. It was noted that the program includes three components. The first direction is dedicated to education and training, and the second branch is restoring Tatev’s Great Desert monastery complex. The National Heritage Institute is involved in both components. The third direction refers to the new concept of the Erebuni Museum’s permanent exhibition. It was emphasized that this program could serve as a model for cooperation in other directions as well.
