Development of international ties with the purpose of spreading cultural products and services

At present, like in the previous reporting period, bilateral treaties of co-operation have been consistently improved and updated, due to which legal grounds for strengthening the international cultural co-operation have been created. 15 international treaties were signed during the reporting period, 4 of which — with new countries (Ethiopia, Vietnam, Madagascar, Korea). As a result of the expansion of the geographic coverage, at present co-operation is maintained with 54 countries of the world (covering almost all the continents). Steps were taken to increase the number of mutual, joint and co-financed cultural programmes, enrich the content thereof and apply new formats in regard thereof within the framework of the effective and signed international treaties. As a result, about 100 programme events were held in Armenia and abroad each year, including mutual “days of culture” or large-scale cultural programmes: exhibitions, conferences, biennials, concert tours; reciprocal visits of official delegations envisaged by the programme were carried out, various meetings were organised with the heads and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Armenia. One of the most successful outcomes of the joint and co-financed programmes is the co-operation shaped between the Writers’ Union of Armenia and unions of writers of foreign countries (Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Iran, Belarus and others): books have been published, presentations have been held. So, for instance, the book “A Handful of Ash” (Oschersleben, Dr. Ziethen Verlag), consisting of works of Armenian writers killed in the Armenian Genocide, in German, the book “Red News from My Friend” by Siamanto in Armenian and German, as well as the book “Denied-Forgotten?”, consisting of compositions of Armenian and German schoolchildren, were translated and printed in collaboration with writers from the state of Saxony-Anhalt of Germany. “The Soil Will Speak” collection of works of Armenian writers killed in the Armenian Genocide was published in English, German, Russian and French in collaboration with the Writers’ Union of Armenia and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia. “Contemporary Armenian Poetry” collection of works of 28 Armenian poets in Serbian was published in collaboration with the Association of Writers of Serbia. “Flight with a Crane” works of 65 contemporary Armenian poets (“Nashre Sales” publishing house) in Persian was published in Iran in collaboration with the Iranian-Armenian writers. The traditional Sayat-Nova Vardaton (Feast of Roses) in Tbilisi and Days of Teryan in Gandza were held in collaboration with the Union of Writers of Georgia. Joint and co-financed programmes have been implemented also in the field of cinema. 16 live action films were shot during the reporting period, “Parajanov” (Armenia-Ukraine-France-Georgia), “Moskvich, My Love” (Armenia-France-Russia), “A Story of a Madman” (Armenia-France), “Karvachar” (Armenia-Iran), “The Imprisoned Souls” (Armenia-Canada), films represented at international film festival platforms (Berlin, Cannes, Venice), among them.