YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The similarities and differences between the Armenian national identity and the European one were presented at the photo exhibition "The European Union and Me" that opened on January 31 at the Academia Picture Gallery in Yerevan. The photo exhibition has been organized on the initiative of the British Council Office and the European Commission Delegation in Armenia within the framework of a program of the same name. The purpose is to show the peculiarities of the Armenian mentality and those of the European one through the opinions and photographs of 200 young people from 10 Armenian marzes (provinces) and Yerevan. The British Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Tony Cantor said that this three-year program aims to establish mutual understanding on various issues, particularly the issue of joining the EU, between the young people of Great Britain and those living in 10 South-Eastern countries. He noted that the youths whose photos were displayed at the exhibition have participated in a number of events and discussions held within the framework of the program "The European Union and Me", during which they had an opportunity to express their opinions about the changes they expect to occur in their lives in case of Armenia's joining the EU. Photographer Hayk Bianjian said that in the opinion of the young people from the Armenian marzes, Armenia's membership of the EU would not change anything in their lives. Young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Turkey, the UK, and Serbia and Montenegro are participating in the program with the aim of identifying, by means of conferences, including virtual ones, the attitude of various countries and peoples to the issue of joining the EU.

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