RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Arthur Martirosyan, who is on a working visit to the Kingdom of Spain, held official meetings during which a number of issues related to the fields of education, science and sports were discussed. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of Spain Sos Avetisyan participated in the meeting.

Arthur Martirosyan, in particular, had a meeting with the Secretary of State for Education of Spain Jose Manuel Bar Cendón.

The sides reaffirmed their willingness to start a new stage and strengthen educational and cultural ties within the framework of the 30th anniversary of Armenia-Spain diplomatic relations. The sides emphasized the importance of cooperation between colleges under the Erasmus+ program in agriculture, tourism and other specialties, studying the Spanish experience in the process of general education reforms carried out in Armenia, improving the quality of teaching Spanish in general education institutions of Armenia, as well as promoting the activities of about two dozen Armenian educational institutions operating in Spain. The Spanish side expressed interest in the educational products formed in the newly-independent Armenia, in particular, in the programs “Tumo”, “Armath”, and COAF, in response to which Arthur Martirosyan expressed willingness to share the experience of the Armenian side.

As part of his visit to Madrid, ESCS Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan also had a meeting with the Chairman of the National Sports Council of the Kingdom of Spain Jose Manuel Franco Pardo.

ESCS Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan noted that the European Weightlifting Championship is currently being held in Yerevan, where the Spanish team has had successful performances.

The issue of cooperation in various sports fields was discussed, which will include the study of the successful experience of both sides: on the Spanish side - basketball, tennis and other sports, and on the Armenian side -weightlifting, wrestling and boxing. As other possible areas of cooperation, the sides also discussed the possibilities of implementing educational programs with sports qualifications and studying the Spanish experience in organizing sports, which were mutually approved.

During the meetings, the possibility of signing memoranda in the fields of education and sports was outlined, which will significantly expand the agenda of the Armenian-Spanish bilateral cooperation.

Note that, the ESCS Deputy Minister was sent to the Kingdom of Spain to participate in the opening ceremony of the Armenian Studies Center at the Complutense University of Madrid and the Congress. The Armenian Studies Center was opened with the state support of the Republic of Armenia.