Armenians mark 100 years of republic with cultural dances
KUWAIT: The 100-year celebration of the Republic of Armenia will be celebrated by Armenians the whole year round, and they have arranged several activities to mark this special occasion. Armenian Ambassador to Kuwait Manvel Badeyan told Kuwait Times, adding that the celebration is the biggest to date because of the centennial.
“The celebration usually takes place on May 28, but because it is a huge event, we will have yearlong celebrations. We are a country with a rich history spanning generations. We have been an empire and a kingdom. In the framework of this event, we are planning a number of cultural events in Kuwait. The first one was organized last week - the painting exhibition ‘Color of Friendship’ at Al-Babtain Library. We believe culture is a language of peace. Also, we are going to bring folkdance ensembles and a harmonic orchestra in cooperation with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. We are also bringing contemporary arts, and classical concerts will also be held,” he said. He added that cultural exchange is very important even in time of peace and stability. The 1918 Republic of Armenia barely lasted two years. It was, however, a historic political entity - the first expression of Armenian sovereignty since 1375. Its efforts led to the establishment of a Soviet Armenian republic, which, in turn, allowed for an independent Armenia upon the collapse of the USSR 70 years later. Although much can be said to criticize the policies of 1918 Yerevan, some things were also salvaged and put in place in spite of the heavy and harsh circumstances of the time.
The embassy also announced that direct flights to Armenia will be launched in June. “The number of visitors from Kuwait and the Middle East is growing rapidly. So, in order to cater and serve passengers, we will have direct flights by June this year from Kuwait by Wataniya Airways,” he said. The ambassador lauded several bilateral agreements signed between Kuwait and Armenia including for trade and economic cooperation, medical cooperation and culture and educational exchange. “We are organizing mutual visits of ministers and officials of both countries. Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Al-Sabeeh visited Armenia and signed several agreements including labor deals,” he said.
Trade balance between the two countries is not very promising compared to other European countries, but he is hoping to open many opportunities in the coming years, especially since many agreements have been signed and the upcoming agreements will help strengthen cooperation. “There are many obstacles for strengthening bilateral ties and improving our trade balance - number one is a lack of adequate transportation of goods from our side. We do not have direct flights - we have a long way to go. There are many opportunities between us, and this is the reason why we are now trying our best to secure opportunities around us,” he said.
“We have many agricultural products that we would like to market in Kuwait, along with medical, healthcare and IT - we need to showcase all these to Kuwaitis. Again, the main obstacle is transportation, but we are working on it now,” he said. Some products that are already marketed in Kuwait include textiles and shoes. In the area of tourism, Armenia has continued to enjoy the respect of the Kuwaiti people. “We have the best places to offer in terms of tourism. We are thankful that the number of tourists is growing - direct flights would not be possible without customers. So with this new route, it means a lot,” he added.