Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan, within the framework of events on the 90th anniversary of the University establishment, has organized an
international conference on foreign languages teaching problems from 2-3 April. The conference is organized on the Francophonie days in Armenia.
Among those present on the opening of the international conference “Intercultural Communication by Teaching Foreign Languages” were the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Eduard Nalbandyan, the French Ambassador in Armenia, Henri Reynaud.
The event was opened with a greeting speech of the Pedagogical University Chancellor, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Rouben Mirzakhanyan.
The Chancellor expressed acknowledgement to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the large variety of activities accomplished and added the following:
“Armenia has been a unit of Francophonie since 2008. The French-Armenian intergovernmental relations will set up a new and a more comprehensive framework as guided by the Francophonie. Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan is leading its educational, academic activities in accordance with the ideas and concepts implied by the Francophonie which are the human rights protection, the right of education, and the intercultural communication. The international conference “Intercultural Communication by Teaching Foreign Languages” puts a start for a number of significant undertakings and events at the Pedagogical”.
Afterwards, the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Eduard Nalbandyan greeted all the participants and attendants of the conference in French and mentioned;
“We are happy to observe the already good tradition in Armenia to host a diverse variety of events, including conferences devoted to the Francophonie”
Moreover, the Foreign Affairs Minister, who used to be the RA Ambassador in France for a long period, also outlined, “The Francophonie contributes to the closer cultural cooperation and rapprochement of nations living on different continents but admitting the same values. We draw a great attention and major consideration to intercultural relations and by all means try to prevent cultural clashes”.
Furthermore, the Minister also observes the meaningful membership of Armenia in the Francophonie which is the forum of intercultural dialogue. As he is assured, that kind of involvement lays better and vast opportunities of inter-recognition and cooperation.
Additionally, an opening speech of the conference was also made by the French Ambassador in Armenia Henri Reynaud.
The Ambassador was delighted with the fluent French of Eduard Nalbandyan and mentioned his greatest pleasure to hear his native language in Armenia.
“We have signed an agreement with the Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Nalbandyan to spread French languages both at schools and universities. Likewise, Mr. Serj Sargsyan suggested that a new lyceum be established in Armenia which is an immense educational and cultural programme, I might say,” says the French Ambassador in RA, Henri Reynaud.
Later on, the Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, member of the Social Education Academy in RF, the General Director of the “Euroschool” Research Centre in Moscow Victoria Safonova stated in her report “World Ideological Directions and National Supremacies in the Process of Multicultural Language Study Development in the 21st Century”;
“Besides the positive tendencies in the process of creating the national models of culture and language studies it is of major significance for us to also struggle against the negative concepts. It is possible to carry on only after considering the social demands of a certain country, its pedagogical achievements, cultural values, and the security of the right of person’s language study.”
Soon after, the Language Attaché in the French Embassy in RA, Fabien Neyrat presented the activities of the French Embassy towards the expansion and development objectives of French in his report “Nature of French in Armenia”
In a short while, the Head of the Specialised Department of Teaching Foreign Languages, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Donara Ghazaryan came up with a report headed “Artistic Translation as a Means of Intercultural Enrichment” and gave a great importance to the organization of such conferences.
The latter expressed her opinion as follows, “I am strongly assured that this will be another an effective opportunity for the experience exchange, intercultural dialogue, and cooperation through languages. The age of globalization can lead to the World’s one-sided polarization. Thus, one of the methods to avoid such an outcome is the cultural communication, mutual enrichment and collaboration through languages.
The conference proceeded with parallel work of the two sections.
