Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, Krystyna Tatarian, on Friday received the President of the UNESCO General Conference, Khondker M. Talha, who has arrived in Armenia to attend the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, being held in Yerevan, the Armenian capital.

During the meeting, the opportunities for expanding cooperation between Armenia and UNESCO in education, science, culture, youth, and sports were discussed, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Armenia informed.

Welcoming the guest, Tatarian underscored Armenia’s effective partnership with UNESCO, and reflected on to the Armenian state policy being implemented towards the preservation and popularization of cultural heritage, development of education, and strengthening of human capital. She emphasized the role of culture and education in strengthening peace, and underscored the initiatives aimed at forming a culture of peace and the expansion of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network in Armenia.

In turn, UNESCO General Conference president Talha lauded Armenia’s efforts in the preservation of cultural heritage and the development of education, and congratulated the country on its election to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

Also, praised Armenia’s efforts in organizing COP17, and stressed that hosting this important international event will contribute to increasing the country’s international recognition. In this context, the parties touched also upon the conservation of biodiversity and the opportunities for cooperation within the framework of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

At the end of the meeting, the importance of deepening cooperation in various domains and the implementation of new joint initiatives between Armenia and UNESCO were emphasized.