YEREVAN, MARCH 1, ARMENPRESS. Programs are being implemented in 11 universities of 9 countries aimed at promoting Armenian studies, Armenian language and culture in universities, museum-institutes and research centers abroad, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Artur Martirosyan said in an interview to ARMENPRESS.

He informed that three of these programs are new as the contracts were signed in 2021-2022. The list includes the Cairo University, the University of Uruguay and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Additional funding was provided for 2 research projects in Argentina and the Mashtots Center for Armenian Studies in Germany.

“We are trying to expand the centers of Armenian studies and establish at least 2 such centers annually with the state budget, give a new content so that various such centers create relations and implement joint projects, research. We will soon hold a conference of Armenian studies which will be attended by all 11 centers of Armenian studies. We will try to understand our next steps and different cooperation formats within these centers, with the ministry and these kind of centers existing Armenia”, he added.

The deputy minister said they are planning to expand the list of universities teaching Armenian language in 2022. The possibilities of holding other events relating to Armenia and the Armenian culture are also being discussed. Programs are planned to be implemented in Poland, Portugal, Spain, Iran and Georgia.  

According to the deputy minister, the best way to counter the anti-Armenian propaganda in the world is to spread the Armenian culture, increase the interest towards the Armenian language, people and Armenia. “In terms of increasing the interest towards Armenia, the centers of Armenian studies, of course, play a significant role, and this is the reason that we continue expanding these centers so that the interest towards Armenia and its people, as a nation and state with a rich cultural history, only grows”, Artur Martirosyan said.

Interview by Gayane Gaboyan