TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON CULTURE, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
Synopsis n° 2001/123
29 October 2001
The Committee on Culture, Science and Education, meeting in Yerevan on 22-24 October 2001 with Mr Rakhansky in the chair:
- was welcomed by Mr Armen Khachatryan, Chairman of the National Assembly, and Mr Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Chairman of the Armenian parliamentary delegation to the Assembly;
- held exchanges of views, introduced by Mr Shavazsh Kocharian, Chairman of the Committee on Culture, Education and Youth of the National Assembly and Mr Ashot Galoyan, Armenian member of the Committee, on:
§ Culture and heritage with:
- Mr Karen Aristakesyan, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport,
- Mr Giurjyan, Head of the Department on Protection of Monuments of History and Culture,
- Mr Hovhannes Sanamy, Vice-President of the NGO “Cultural Heritage”,
- Mr Nerses Hayrapetyan, President of the “Librarians’ Union of Armenia”.
§ Education and science with:
- Mr Vartan Grigoryan, Deputy Minister of Education and Science,
- Mrs Victoria Ter-Nikoghosyan, President of the “Union of Information Technology Enterprises”,
- Mr Hovik Musaelyan, Director General of the “Leda System” Joint Stock Company,
- Mrs Armine Hovhannisyan, President of the NGO “Junior Achievements of Armenia”.
§ Mass media with:
- Mr Eduard Militonyan, Head of the Government Information and Publishing Department,
- Mr Aram Abrahamyan, Editor-in-Chief of the daily newspaper “Aravot”,
- Mr Boris Navasardyan, Head of the Press Club,
- Mr Hayk Babuhanyan, Member of the Armenian Parliament;
- visited an exhibition on Armenian monuments outside Armenia, organised in the National Assembly building;
- was represented at the opening ceremony of European Heritage Days in Armenia by Mr Lemoine;
- visited the Yerevan State University and exchanged views with the Vice-Chancellor, Radik Martirossyan, professors and students, followed by a further meeting of Ms Troncho with a delegation of students;
- made study visits to:
§ the Memorial Museum of Aram Khachaturyan, where it heard a performance by the Little Singers of Armenia Choir
§ St. Echmiadzin and the Museum of the Catholicosate
§ The Matenadaran Museum of ancient manuscripts
§ The Space Museum and Pagan Temple of Garni
§ The Monastry of Geghard;
- discussed its report on cultural co-operation in the South Caucasus (Rapporteur: Mr Abbasov) and decided not to present it at the next Assembly part-session;
- held an exchange of views on cultural co-operation in the West Mediterranean Region (Rapporteur: Mr de Puig); agreed in principle to hold a colloquy in Morocco in 2002 and authorised the Rapporteur to go to the country for preparatory talks;
- held an exchange of views on education in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Rapporteur: Mr de Puig) and asked the Rapporteur to prepare amendments to the draft opinion presented by the Political Affairs Committee;
- discussed future activities within the framework of the European Year of Languages (Rapporteur: Mr Legendre) and follow-up to the European Day of Languages;
- held an exchange of views on diaspora cultures on the basis of a motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Roseta;
- heard reports by Mr Roseta on a fact-finding mission on the new Russian Law on religion (Moscow, 16-18 October) and by Mr O’Hara on the Prix Europa award ceremony and round table on current affairs (Potsdam, 19-20 October);
- appointed the following rapporteurs:
§ Mr de Puig (Spain, Socialist Group) for an opinion on the rights of majorities,
§ Mrs Isohookana-Asunmaa (Finland, LDR) for an opinion on the situation of the Muslim minority in Thrace,
§ Mr Kiely (Ireland, LDR) for an opinion on opponents of free trade and globalisation regarded as a threat to democracy and freedom of opinion in Europe;
- designated members to forthcoming meetings;
- confirmed its next meeting in Paris on 11 December 2001.
C. Grayson, J. Ary, B. Theophilova, B. Torcătoriu