Within the framework of the visit to Paris to participate in the event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Henri Verneuil, RA ESCS Minister Vahram Dumanyan had a meeting with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini.

During the meeting, the RA ESCS Minister expressed confidence that mutually beneficial cooperation with UNESCO in the fields of education and research will continue to expand and contribute to the implementation of new initiatives and ideas.

Discussing the current programs implemented with UNESCO, in particular, the visits of UNESCO experts to Armenia to provide UNESCO expert assistance in the development of concepts in the fields of vocational and higher education, Vahram Dumanyan expressed satisfaction with the establishment of the UNESCO Chair on Education and Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities at Yerevan State University.

A reference was made to Armenia's presidency of the board of the UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE), and the role and importance of UNESCO in overcoming modern challenges in the world, the sustainable development of education and ensuring the right of children to education were highlighted. The ESCS Minister expressed confidence that the strategy presented by the Bureau until 2025 will also be successfully implemented, and the tasks set for the medium-term period will be overcome.

Reference was also made to the presidency of the Board of the UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE) in Armenia, the role and significance of UNESCO in overcoming modern challenges in the world, sustainable development of education, and ensuring the children’s right to education.

Issues related to the Francophone Forum on the quality of higher education in Central and Eastern Europe, scheduled for November 4-5, 2021 in Armenia, were also discussed during the meeting. The Forum will serve as a platform for discussions, professional development and exchange of experience for the main officials, ensuring the quality of the higher education institutions of UNESCO and the Francophone University Agency member countries in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. The regional partners of the forum are UNESCO, the Francophone University Agency and the French University in Armenia. The RA ESCS Minister invited UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini to Armenia to be the speaker at the forum.

Thankful for UNESCO's assistance in the framework of the participation program, RA ESCS Minister Vahram Dumanyan expressed hope that the cooperation between Armenia and UNESCO in this direction will be long-lasting.