Armenia’s Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan attended a gala concert marking the launch of the Armenia-United Kingdom Business Forum at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan, the ministry said.
The forum, being held in Yerevan on October 5-6, brings together leading representatives from Armenia and the United Kingdom in business, government, finance, education and technology.
Deputy Minister Kristina Tatarian, UK Ambassador to Armenia Alexandra Cole, President of the Oxford Alumni Business Club of Armenia Alexander Shaghikyan, forum participants and other guests also attended the event.
Welcoming the participants, Andreasyan said music can serve as an expression of mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between countries.
“Business, education, science and culture, although different fields, have one important thing in common: they create connections, build trust and open new avenues for cooperation,” Andreasyan said, emphasizing the continued development of Armenian-British cultural dialogue.
The minister highlighted the 2024 exhibition Mother Goddess: From Anahit to Mary, organized in cooperation between the History Museum of Armenia and the British Museum. The exhibition featured, for the first time in Armenia, the head and hand of a bronze statue of the goddess Anahit brought from the British Museum. Held for around six months, it attracted more than 55,000 visitors.
Andreasyan also noted Armenia’s active cooperation with leading UK educational institutions, including University of the Arts London (UAL), the UCL Institute of Education (UCL IOE), and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). The cooperation focuses on developing the concepts of Arts and Education Clusters as part of the Academic City project.
UK Ambassador Alexandra Omul also addressed the event with welcoming remarks.
The concert program featured works by renowned British composer Edward Elgar, performed by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Markos Hatsatoularyan, with internationally acclaimed cellist Guy Johnston as a soloist.
The Armenia-UK Business Forum brings together business leaders, investors, policymakers and innovators, aiming to foster new business connections and develop long-term partnerships.