YEREVAN. - The 9th international competition-festival Renaissance will kick off in Gyumri—the second largest city of Armenia—on Wednesday.

During the meeting with journalists on Tuesday, Armenian Culture Minister Armen Amiryan underscored the importance of the festival, noting that this year the competition participants will represent 40 countries. “Visiting Armenia every year, young representatives leave, taking part of Gyumri and Armenia with them. Later they become world renowned musicians, acting as so-called “cultural ambassadors” of Armenia.  The festival is important in that it ensures multiplicative economic effect in Gyumri, in particular, from the point of view of tourism,” Amiryan said.

Director of Gyumri branch of the Yerevan State Conservatory, Karine Avdalyan, for her part, stressed that the festival is popular worldwide. She also added that another festival nomination has been added to the 18 existing ones this year, this including military orchestra and choirs.