YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The October 12 joint press conference of Hasmik Poghosian, the RA Minister of Culture and Youth Issues and Marco Clemente, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Armenia was dedicated to presenting the Italian cultural events to be held in Armenia in October, November and December. In Minister H.Poghosian's words, as a result of the Armenian-Italian cultural cooperation formed still since 1998, wonderful traditions were created which are year by year more strehgthened owing to the Embassy of Italy to Armenia. She mentioned that starting just from the first years of cooperation, the Italian government gives scholarships to students of Armenia in the sphere of studying the humanities, for re-training of specialists of the museum affair and restoration. Ambassador Marco Clemente emphasized that during his three-year officiating he again was assured that the Armenian-Italian relations are first of all based on culture. Those peoples having millennial cultural history created during centuries cultural values of world importance. "Our duty is to make today the Italian culture reachable to wide sections of the society. The Armenian government helps us in that affair, providing with technical means," M.Clemente mentioned. In the Italian diplomate's words, the term of the three-year cultural cooperation program signed between the two countries' governments in 2003 finishes with the 3 big cultural events to take place in Yerevan during the last 3 months of 2006. Mr.Clemente also said that Francesca Selva modern ballet group with "Confi.dance" modern dance will perform on October 14 at the Al.Spendiarian Opera and Ballet National Academic Theater. A retrospective show of modern Italian films will be organized in one of the Yerevan cinemas in November. And G.Verdi's "Otello" opera will be performed at the joint concert of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia and famous Italian soloists.

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