ArmInfo.Europe Day celebrations has started in Yerevan. This year, celebrations will take place from May 10 to June 7 in Yerevan and regions of the country. Head of the EU delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, stated on May 10 in Yerevan at the opening of the Europe Day celebrations.
According to him, the purpose of these cultural and information events is to demonstrate the depth of relations between Armenia and the EU. "After this press conference, we will open a "Europe is Us" photo exhibition. These are photographs with which we will demonstrate the tangible assistance that we provided here in Armenia, especially in the regions of the country," the Ambassador added.
At the same time, the European diplomat noted that in recent years Yerevan and Brussels have been constantly working to increase the pace of development of bilateral relations. At the same time, Mr. Maragos pointed to several positive developments in EU-Armenia bilateral relations. According to him, this is, first of all, a new agenda for the EU-Armenia partnership program, which was published in Brussels following the meeting of the Armenian Foreign Minister and the EU High Representative.
"Another important program is the Resilience and Growth Plan, announced by the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. This Resilience program will allow Armenia to strengthen the economy, society, accelerate reforms and bring it closer to the EU. Help for refugees is also expected," Mr. Maragos said, recalling that the EU has already provided 50 million euros for this purpose and possibilities are being explored to identify new means for the integration of refugees (from Artsakh, ed. note) into Armenian society.
The head of the EU delegation also informed that the European side is now working intensively with the Armenian government on the agenda of a new partnership program, which will be based on the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, which, among other things, will assist Armenia in overcoming existing challenges.
Speaking about cooperation in the field of security, Mr. Maragos noted that Brussels is promoting the establishment of peace and normalization of relations in the region, as evidenced by the deployment of the EU observation mission on the Armenian border with Azerbaijan.
"The deployment of the EU mission in Armenia has reduced tensions on the border and improved the security of people. Our cooperation in the field of security continues and brings concrete results. We continue our interaction and the current package of our cooperation amounts to more than 350 million euros as part of the sustainability program," Vassilis Maragos concluded .
This year's Europe Day celebrations began with a "Europe is Us" photo exhibition to showcase the positive impact of the EU-funded projects on individuals, as well as the investments on the development of various regions of Armenia.
The "Europe Day" will be marked with an Info Fair and a multi-genre concert in Lori. The Info Fair will take place on May 17 at the COAF Smart Center. Guests will get acquainted with the EU funded projects. The event will turn into a bright celebration due to various games and competitions included in the project, children will have all the necessary conditions to enjoy their day. In the evening, a concert will take place, which includes performances dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Charles Aznavour. Hayk Petrosyan, Vahagn Hayrapetyan and other renowned and talented musicians will perform. The Armenian Alternative Folk Rock Band "Lav Eli" and a famous Armenian singer Aram Mp3 will also perform.
On May 23, the "Europe Day" celebrations will take place in the city of Goris, Syunik. An Info Fair will be held, through which visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the EU-funded projects and the lasting impact these have had on people. Children and their family members will enjoy a day full of unique experiences and delightful surprises in an engaging setting. The EU Delegation in Armenia organizes the European Film Festival in the scope of the "Europe Day" celebrations. The European Film Festival will run from May 29 to June 7 at the Cinema House and at the theatre named after Henrik Malyan in Yerevan. This year, the festival features 23 films from Belgium, Portugal, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Sweden, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Finland, Malta, Denmark, and Armenia. Film screenings offer a wonderful opportunity to delve into European culture and explore the valuable ideas that the authors aim to share through their films.