Ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Zhanna Andreasyan met with Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), at the Meridian Expo Centre.
Viviane Lubjanski, Director of the International Committee of the Francophonie Games, also attended the meeting.
The discussions focused primarily on preparations for the 10th Francophonie Games, which will be held in Yerevan in 2027.
Welcoming the guests, Zhanna Andreasyan thanked them for visiting Armenia and supporting efforts to strengthen cooperation within the Francophonie. She reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to promoting Francophone values, fostering multilingualism, advancing intercultural dialogue, and strengthening ties among young people.
The Minister emphasized that hosting the Games is not only a major international sporting and cultural event for Armenia, but also an important opportunity to strengthen the country’s ties with the Francophone community, enhance its international profile, and expand long-term cooperation.
The parties discussed ongoing preparations for the Games, including the readiness of competition venues, cooperation with international experts, and volunteer recruitment.
Zhanna Andreasyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to ensuring that the Games are organized to the highest standards and in accordance with international requirements, in close cooperation with the International Committee of the Francophonie Games. She also highlighted the importance of the OIF’s support in promoting the Games internationally, encouraging active participation by member states, and facilitating the participation of national delegations and high-level guests.
Louise Mushikiwabo thanked the Minister for the meeting and commended Armenia’s efforts to prepare for the 10th Francophonie Games. She underscored the significance of hosting the Games in Armenia, particularly in strengthening cultural ties among Francophone countries, fostering youth engagement and interaction, and promoting Francophone values. She also reaffirmed the OIF’s willingness to support the successful organization of the Games.
The meeting also addressed opportunities to expand cooperation in education, youth affairs, culture, and French-language teaching. Zhanna Andreasyan proposed developing joint initiatives both in the run-up to the Games and beyond, with a view to ensuring the continuity of cooperation.
The 10th Francophonie Games will take place from 23 July to 1 August 2027. The program will feature 10 sporting disciplines and 10 cultural competitions.