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An international conference entitled "Europe and Neighbouring Countries" was held at ASPU on October 13.
Representatives of scientific and educational institutions of Armenia, Artsakh, Spain, Russia, Hungary and Peru participated in the conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the University.
Welcoming the participants of the conference ASPU Rector Srbuhi Gevorgyan assured everyone that ‘this is an important initiative for the 100-year-old University. She emphasized the presence of Spanish colleagues in the scientific and historical conference for the first time, saying it will give fresh impetus and new quality to Armenian-Spanish relations.
"The University is always proud of its science historians who [at different times] have made great contributions to the development of science and pedagogy as well as historiography in our country. In the context of modern reforms, they still stand out thanks to their potential,” the rector said wishing fruitful discussions to the conference participants.
In her speech, Cristina Conesa Sancho, Chargée d’affaires of the Embassy of Spain, highlighted the intention to relaunch the bilateral cooperation between Spain and Armenia, which is currently below its enormous potential. In particular, she highlighted the potential in the university field: "There is no better example than this conference "Europe and Neighbouring Countries" to show all the opportunities that can arise if this cooperation between our countries and institutions continues to be strengthened", she said.
The international conference, organized jointly by ASPU and the University of A Coruña in Spain, is interdisciplinary, with the main focus on international law, jurisprudence, political science, and history.
The main objective of the event is to strengthen ties, observe historical, political, and sociological phenomena in an interdisciplinary context, which becomes more effective thanks to the participation of reputable foreign specialists. "This is a good opportunity for scientific integration and cooperation with prestigious universities and partner universities in Europe. The conference reports will be published in English in a popular Spanish journal, which is an important step towards popularizing the scientific product of our University and arousing interest among foreign readers," Edgar Hovhannisyan said in a conversation with old.aspu.am. He says, by an interesting coincidence, the conference coincided with the 30th anniversary of Armenian-Spanish diplomatic relations and the opening of an office of the Chargé d'Affaires in Armenia.
The dean of the Faculty of History and Social Sciences stressed the importance of the conference in terms of public diplomacy as well. The topics related to state and national interests [discussed at the conference] will make Armenia and the existing problems better known.
In their reports, the participants of the international conference entitled "Europe and Neighbouring Countries" addressed a number of issues, including international law in Europe, migration, progressive model for trade and investment in the EU, and legal foundations, particularly in the context of common security and defense policy.
The speakers also spoke about Armenia in the context of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) programme, the threats of Turkey in the 16th century, the policy of European countries in 1918-1920, the need to restore the OSCE Minsk Group format in the Karabakh negotiation efforts, resolution of the Artsakh conflict, etc.
Professor Artak Mkrtchyan, Doctor of Law at the University of A Coruña, emphasizes academic contacts, considering them one of the major foundations of cooperation between societies and an important way to expand the scope of partnership.
In his speech, he referred to EU’s stance on the dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, emphasizing the evolution of the structure in the fair resolution of the conflict.
The former student of the Pedagogical University says Armenian people should be informed and know that today's Europe attaches importance to Armenia’s security issues.
He says one of the important messages of the conference is that Armenians should not feel alone when copying with their problems, but should understand that it is necessary to work in international relations to establish the truth. "Armenia and Spain have a number of commonalities, and the conference is an important step towards revealing that potential," Artak Mkrtchyan added.
