Yerevan Municipality official, French guest discuss cultural heritage preservation

Aram Sukiasyan, Advisor to the Yerevan Mayor, received Mr El Yamine Soum, International Cooperation Executive, Regional Tourist Authority (CRT), Île-de-France administrative region, France.

The sides discussed issues of preserving cultural heritage, tourism development prospects and areas of cooperation.

Mr Sukiasyan noted that the friendly ties between Armenia and France, as well as between the Yerevan Municipality and Île-de-France administrative region can serve as a solid basis for joint projects, especially cultural heritage preservation projects.

“The Yerevan Municipality in the person of Mayor Taron Margaryan is always ready to discuss projects of mutual interest. Armenia’s capital is rapidly developing, which is the reason for the increasing number of tourists,” Sukiasyan said.

“Yerevan has a rich cultural and historical heritage and we expect our partners’ assistance in making it better known,” the Armenian official said. This year, UNESCO has declared Yerevan World Book Capital 2012, which is evidence of the Armenian capital’s great potential for preserving its cultural and historical heritage and developing tourism.

In his turn, Mr El Yamine Soum noted that, after attending a number of performances under the Erebuni-Yerevan 2794 celebrations program and walking around the city, saw a great potential for tourism development.

The sides also reached an agreement to organize exchange of experts.