RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Arthur Martirosyan is in the Kingdom of Spain on a working visit. He attended the opening ceremony of the Armenian Studies Chair at the Complutense University by the RA State funding and the congress following it.
The Deputy Minister got acquainted with the issues related to the preservation of the Armenian identity on the spot, discussed possible solutions within the authority of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the possibility of providing assistance to existing Sunday schools with appropriate literature and auxiliary educational materials.
Arthur Martirosyan delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Armenian Studies Center, noting that the field of Armenian studies is always in the focus of attention of the Government.
“The opening of the Armenian Studies Center in Spain is important from different perspectives. According to the latest data, more than 10,000 Armenians live in Spain, so it is extremely important to ensure the continuity of education for a country with such a large Armenian community. An important component is also the issue of ensuring the visibility of the Armenian language and culture. I am sure that the Armenian Studies Center can become a strong bridge between the two states in cultural dialogue and interstate cooperation,” said Arthur Martirosyan and added that in the near future, it is planned to implement a number of projects in the field of Armenology, in particular, a conference will be organized with the participation of all Armenology centers in Europe to discuss all the possibilities of network cooperation and conducting joint research.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of Spain Sos Avetisyan, influential representatives of the Armenian community in Spain attended the event and thanked the RA MoESCS and the Embassy for supporting the organization of the Center's activities.
By the order of the Rector of the Complutense University of Madrid, Joaquín Goyache Goñi, the University's Armenian lecturer Francisco Zurian Hernández was appointed the director of the Special Chair of Armenian Studies of the Complutense University of Madrid. To run the academic activities of the Chair, the possibility of a trip of an appropriate specialist with knowledge of the Spanish language from Armenia will be considered by the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports. To organize the educational process of the Chair from September 2023, the Armenian side is invited to develop an educational program with a thematic extension (modern history of Armenia, foreign policy, Armenian language).
RA ESCS Ministry carries out consistent activities in promoting the teaching of the Armenian language and Armenian studies subjects in universities, museums-institutes and centers of foreign countries.