YEREVAN, JULY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The founder of the Regent's School, Thailand Dr. Virachai Techavijit is in Armenia. On July 7, he visited the Anania Shirakatsi Lycee in Yerevan to establish friendly links and develop new programs. Both the Anania Shirakatsi Lycee and the Regent's School are members of the Round Square worldwide association of 83 schools. Dr. Virachai said that the cooperation with Round Square and the international program leading to a bachelor's degree are important for raising future leaders capable of effecting changes in their societies. By the way, it was on Dr. Virachai's advice that Director of Anania Shirakatsi Lycee Ashot Alikhanian introduced the international bachelor's program in the junior school of the lycee. During the meeting held at Shirakatsi Lycee, Ashot Alikhanian noted that the Round Square schools share an educational philosophy based on the teachings of the German philosopher Kurt Hahn. The philosophy supports the growth of the "whole person" and is based on the six civil and moral pillars: internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership and service. A. Alikhanian said that cooperation with Round Square and the implementation of the international bachelor's program will make a crucial change in Armenia as it was the only European country which did not have an internatianal school. The pupils of the lycee also attached great importance to that change. One of them - Ilona Muradian welcomed the fact that Armenian schools have launched more large-scale projects such as exchange programs. At the meeting, Ashot Alikhanian handed the Anania Shirakatsi Lycee Medal to Dr. Virachai in recognition of his contribution to the sphere of education.

---