On October 6, the regular meeting of the Armenian National Commission for UNESCO was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Armenia, chaired by Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Armenia, in his capacity as the Chair of the Commission.

Minister Mirzoyan delivered opening remarks, addressing Armenia’s priorities for engagement within multilateral platforms, cooperation with UNESCO, as well as initiatives stemming from the foreign policy agenda.

The meeting was attended by Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment of Armenia, Gevorg Papoyan, Minister of Economy of Armenia, as well as representatives of the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister, Yerevan Municipality, the Matenadaran and other state institutions.

During the meeting, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan presented Armenia’s initiatives for new nominations to the UNESCO’s Tentative and World Heritage Lists and the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as the ongoing work related to nominations for inscription on the Memory of the World International Register.

The steps aimed at ensuring Armenia’s active engagement in the fields of culture and education were discussed, including the membership of Armenian cities in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and Global Network of Learning Cities, increased participation in the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet), as well as the introduction of innovative approaches across these areas. Views were exchanged on proposals for the inclusion of anniversaries in UNESCO’s calendar for 2028–2029.

In the context of discussing the benefits of implementing various programmes, the importance of making strategic choices was emphasized, including from the perspective of Armenia’s economic development and their direct impact on public life.

Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan highlighted the interconnectedness of environmental protection and natural heritage conservation, as well as prospects for Armenia to advance international cooperation in this area, including in its capacity as the host country of COP17. Among other initiatives, the participants discussed enhancing cooperation within the framework of UNESCO’s “Man and the Biosphere” Programme.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Robert Abisoghomonyan presented the work carried out recently to expand Armenia’s representation in UNESCO’s specialized bodies and the achievements recorded in this regard. Further steps and initiatives in areas of priority for Armenia were outlined, including within the framework of the “Education for Peace” vision.

During the meeting, views were also exchanged on the continuous enhancement of the Commission’s institutional and professional capacity in line with the expanding areas of cooperation with UNESCO.