On July 11-13, 2015 Yerevan hosted the conference entitled “Cultural Policy: Policy for Culture” The role of culture in sustainable development in the Framework of the Agenda of the post-2015 dedicated to the 70-th anniversary of the establishment of UNESCO. The Conference was attended by delegates from 45 countries and international organizations.
Within the framework of the Conference there were held plenary and concluding sessions entitled “The role of culture in sustainable development after 2015: new reality and perspectives” and “The future of culture: the culture of future”, as well as “Cultural heritage as a factor of unity and spiritual communication of people”, “Cultural diversity as a guarantee for intercultural dialogue and sustainable development” and “Intangible cultural heritage in the changing world” thematic tables. The Conference was attended by many Culture Ministers and Deputy Ministers of UNESCO, EU and other countries, heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Armenia, representatives of cultural centers and NGOs in foreign countries and concerned departments and experts of the sphere.
The participants of the Conference visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Mother See of Holly Etchmiadzin, met His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. They also visited the cultural monuments of Armenian which are included in the UNESCO’s lists.
In addition to the work program the participants attended the opening ceremony of “Golden Apricot” International Film Festival. The Conference concluded its work by adopting the Declaration which is in line with the concept of the Conference and the principles of UNESCO.
During these days RA Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan met with the ministers and representatives of the sphere participating in the Conference. There have been made agreements on the development of cultural relations, in particular with the Minister of Culture of Iraq Fayrad Rawanduzi, Minister of Cultural Relations of Bangladesh Asaduzzaman Noor, Minister of Culture and Monuments Protection of Georgia Mikheil Giorgadze, Romanian State Secretary of Culture and Heritage Bogdan Stanoevici, Deputy Miniser of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam Vuong Duy Bien (the parties signed a program of “Cooperation in the sphere of culture in 2015-2018 between the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Ministry of Culture of Armenia), the Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, EU Eastern Partnership Culture Program Coordinator Tim Williams, Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO Alfredo Pérez de Armiñán.