Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia Krystyna Tatarian received Corinne Duguer, Deputy Mayor of the French city of Le Plessis-Robinson, and Hayk Shahbazyan and Levon Avdalyan, co-founders of the ‘ODARIF’ Association.
Welcoming the guests, Krystyna Tatarian highlighted the significance of continuously advancing cooperation between Armenia and France in the fields of education, culture and sport. She also congratulated Hayk Shahbazyan on his appointment as Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs in France.
During the meeting, the outcomes of the events held in Le Plessis-Robinson on September 11–13 were presented. Particular attention was paid to the official launch of the ‘ODARIF’ Association, the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the municipal authorities, the education and culture conference, and the ‘Armenia Day’ event.
The guests outlined the association’s key scope of activity and upcoming programs aimed at promoting the Armenian language, history and culture in France, as well as raising the profile of French language and Francophone culture in Armenia.
In this context, the Deputy Minister presented the Ministry's programs supporting Armenian educational institutions in the Diaspora, highlighting the annual professional development programs for Armenian teachers abroad and the free provision of textbooks and supplementary educational materials to Armenian schools. Opportunities for cooperation and exchange of experience between educational institutions in Armenia and France were also discussed.
Regarding cultural cooperation, the guests presented an initiative to organize an event in France in collaboration with the Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum. Krystyna Tatarian welcomed the proposal, emphasizing the significance of promoting Armenian literature and cultural heritage, particularly introducing the literary legacy of Hovhannes Tumanyan to younger generations.
A reference was also made to the preparations for the 2027 Francophonie Games which will be hosted by Armenia. Krystyna Tatarian outlined the sporting and cultural components of the Games, the participant selection process and volunteer training programs. She emphasized the importance of engaging the French-Armenian community in the Games, as well as strengthening volunteers' French-language proficiency and communication skills.
The French side expressed its willingness to support the volunteer programs. The parties discussed opportunities for exchanging experience, holding online meetings and organizing familiarization visits to France for outstanding volunteers.
The sides reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing joint initiatives and expanding educational, cultural and sporting cooperation between the two countries.