On October 25-27, the delegation headed by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of France Rima Abdul Malak is on an official visit to Armenia.

The delegation includes the Chair of the Friendship Group of the National Assembly of France Anne-Laurence Petel, Deputy Anne Genten, Deputy of the European Parliament Laurence Farah, former Mayor of Lyon Georges Kepenekian, President-Director of the Louvre Laurence des Cars, diplomat, executive director of the “ALIPH” Foundation Valery Freeland, French-Armenian artists, including actor Simon Abgaryan, pianist, writer-composer Andre Manoukian and other representatives of the cultural sector.

Accompanied by ESCS Minister Zhanna Andreasyan, the delegation headed by French Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex this morning and paid tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide. The guests laid flowers at the memorial of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The French Minister of Culture strolled around the memorial alley, where Emmanuel Macron, the French Republic's President, had planted a fir tree earlier.

Acting Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Edita Gzoyan presented to the guests the history and significance of the construction of the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex. In particular, the activities of Franz Werfel, Johannes Lepsius, and Anatole France perpetuated on the basalt memorial wall against the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by Ottoman Turkey were presented.

The delegation of the French Republic also toured the Museum-Institute and got acquainted with the exhibitions presented. At the end of the visit, the French Minister of Culture made an entry in the Book of Honorary Guests of the Museum-Institute, in particular noting: “We must not show indifference to the issues we face. We need to act keeping them in mind. We will not tolerate or forget anything negative. France is currently and forever next to the Armenian people.”

The delegation headed by the Minister of Culture of the French Republic Rima Abdul Malak also visited the “Erebuni” Historical and Archaeological Museum-Reserve.

Deputy Ministers Arthur Martirosyan, Daniel Danielyan, Alfred Kocharyan, and other representatives of the ESCS Ministry accompanied the ministers during the visits.

It should be noted that today in the hall of the new building of the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, a joint press conference of the ESCS Minister Zhanna Andreasyan and the Minister of Culture of the French Republic Rima Abdul Malak will be held.