YEREVAN,  MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS.  "Discovering Armenia: Culture, Nature, Civilization, Heritage" conference was held at the European Council. The aim of the conference was to introduce Armenia to the employees of European institutions.

One of the main European civil service unions, the European Civil Service Federation (FFPE), was one of the organizers of the conference. Following the events that affected the Armenian people, especially the Artsakh Armenians, the Federation, being highly sensitive to humanitarian issues, sought to express its support through this conference to ensure that the human tragedy does not become a victim of politics and is not forgotten.

According to the Armenpress Brussels correspondent, the main speaker of the forum was the Belgian André Malaise, who, according to his own words, knew nothing about Armenia before the covid pandemic. During the conference, André Malaise provided a brief yet comprehensive overview of Armenia's history, language, culture, and ontological challenges faced by the Armenian people and the country.

André's first visit to Armenia coincided with the second Artsakh war. The widespread indifference to what happened to Artsakh Armenians, international political inaction, and injustice forced André to visit Armenia 10 times in the last four years. Each time with a new initiative of assistance and support, but always with his son.

During the conference, André Malaise mentioned that during his first visit, his son was 4 years old; now he is 7 years old.

"During these three years, he has gained a lot and learned a lot thanks to our friends from Artsakh and Armenia. It's surprising that he already knows how to read some words in Armenian," said André proudly. He added that supporting Armenia and Armenians is important to him because, over the past 3 years, many Armenians from Artsakh and Armenia have become like brothers and sisters to him.

"It's as if they are part of my family. I am always pleased to have the opportunity to make the voices of my Armenian friends from Artsakh and Armenia heard in Europe, so I am fulfilling my promise to them," André concluded.

André Malaise has founded the Via-Via organization, aimed at providing humanitarian aid. He has implemented several programs for the forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians in Armenia, and this summer he is organizing a concert with the participation of children from border villages.

At the end of the conference, several dozen attendees had the opportunity to taste some of the most famous dishes and desserts of Armenian cuisine, as well as wine and cognac.