Within the framework of the working visit to Paris, the delegation led by ESCS Minister Zhanna Andreasyan visited the Hôtel Drouot Auction House and met with its President, Alexandre Giquello.

ESCS Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to France, Arman Khachatryan, also attended the meeting.

The delegation toured the auction house and was introduced to its operations, including the procedures for organizing and conducting auctions, as well as the technologies employed in the process. The Minister was briefed on the preservation methods applied to auction lots, particularly historic objects requiring specialized care. Alexandre Giquello also outlined the distinctive features of the auction process, the institution's scope of international cooperation, and other key aspects of its activities.

The parties agreed to continue cooperation in the fields of auction system management, art market management, cultural exchanges, and the promotion of the lawful circulation of cultural property, as well as the prevention of illicit trafficking in cultural goods.

A reference was also made to the professional capacity building, highlighting the significance of experience-sharing initiatives, the organization of professional study visits to Hôtel Drouot, and training opportunities for specialists from Armenian museums, including curators and art experts.

Hôtel Drouot comprises 17 auction and exhibition rooms and is home to over 100 licensed auctioneers. Each year, approximately 2,000 auctions are held, during which nearly 600,000 objects are sold. The institution provides art valuation, transportation, and storage services, as well as professional training programs for specialists in the cultural sector.