ETCHMIADZIN. – Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II on Thursday received a delegation from the CIS Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation (IFHC); the delegation was accompanied by Armenia’s Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan. 

The Catholicos appreciated the delegation’s visit to Armenia and expressed confidence that its presence in the country will bring great enthusiasm to the Armenian people, Information Center of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin informs. Expressing a delight with respect to Armenia’s City of Gyumri being declared “CIS Cultural Capital 2013,” Karekin II noted that this event will contribute to the development of Gyumri’s cultural days and the strengthening of interstate cultural cooperation.          

In his turn, IFHC Co-Chairman—and the Russian president’s special representative for interstate cultural cooperation—Mikhail Shvidkoy reflected on the importance of the Fund’s aforesaid program. He noted that state borders do not exist for the spiritual life and for cultural cooperation, and expressed a hope that 2013 will continue to bring new cultural fulfillments for CIS countries.