KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

The Pedagogical University Educational Unit in Aghavandzor is filled with unprecedented excitement; the participants of the “Summer School” launched on 11 August and organized by the Armenian State Pedagogical University, University of Oulu of Finland, Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences, are making the final arrangements to welcome the ASPU Rector Rouben Mirzakhanyan and the teaching professorial team of the University.

The ten-day project was implemented with the assistance of the Armenian Youth Foundation. 

The participants of the project are welcoming the Pedagogical University Rector on feet and with applauds; they are happy to express their deepest acknowledgements for making the summer memorable and meaningful.

Mr. Rouben Mirzakhanyan in his turn, expressed his warmest wishes in Armenian and English to his colleagues from the University of Oulu in Finland and the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences, thanking them for support and for the joint efforts of implementing the project; afterwards, he expressed hope that thanks to the project the foreign students will remember Armenia and the “smithy” of the Pedagogical University’s. 

 A video about the entertainment and culturally rich days was displayed, Armenian national dances were performed by Finn and Lithuanian students.

Later on during the event, the Armenian Culture was also introduced by the students of the Pedagogical University and the State University of Artsakh followed by joyous Lithuanian dances staged by the Armenian and Finn students. 

The Lithuanian Student Nicalonitte Routa is impressed with Armenia; she has already participated in such projects several times but she notices that the visit to Armenia and the Summer School there are exceptional. Here she fell in love with Armenian mountains, historical monuments, people’s friendship and care. 

The Finn student that came from Northern Europe, Diana Jusola who introduced the Finnish culture, people’s daily life and traditions; she didn’t hide her intention to take a piece of Armenia with her to Finland, as she had already brought a piece from Finland to Armenia.  

The student of the same university, Faculty of Intercultural Primary Education Stina Pakone observes in her speech with armspu.am that around a month ago she didn’t even know about the Republic of Armenia and its existence, while today she doesn’t miss a chance to greet in Armenian, to count from 1 to 10, and to say that she is hungry again in Armenian.  

“The last day of the Summer School gave birth to mutually exclusive feelings for Stina; she managed to miss Finland but at the same time she wouldn’t like to bid goodbye to the warm sun of Armenia. 

“Hey, kitos”- this is how the student of the Pedagogical University Alla Zaqaryan addresses her friends in Finnish; she is happy to mention that she had noticed a little bit strange but diverse and interesting phenomena for herself. 

She is sure that the foreign guests will stay pleased with Armenian reception and hospitality; she is looking forward to the next summer school hoping to have a chance to see Finland next year.  

More to the point, among those present at the closing event of the “Summer School” were ten ASPU students who spent their holidays at the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences within the scope of Summer school project.

The student of the Faculty of Education Psychology and Sociology Grisha Korkotyan considers the project mutually successful and interesting. Within the scope of the project he managed to visit the biggest cities of Lithuania, to get acquainted with Lithuanian language and their educational system.

The Pedagogical student is happy to observe that the multinational environment gave an opportunity to communicate with the foreign peers, to get acquainted with diverse cultures, to obtain wonderful friends and to have the perspectives of participating in new projects.

Summing up the project, the President of the Student Council Nersik Margaryan noticed that the “Summer School” that was held for the second time, was annually expanding the list of the participating countries. 

The SC President assured that if compared with the previous years, the project was much more abundant and meaningful the current year. 

In addition, during the event the ASPU Vice-Rector Ara Yeremyan granted participation certificates that are equal to three credits in the educational process; and the Deputy Head of the University’s Department of Chess and Sports Mr. Souren Barseghyan granted diplomas to the winners of sports competitions.  

At the end, the participants passed to the posted symbolic suitcase their memories and impressions that were note spoken out till the very end.