Tuesday, 16 October 2007
RA Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan received world famous script writer, writer and artist Tonino Guerra who is in Yerevan together with his spouse, translator Lora Guerra in connection with the cultural days held under the motto "Tonino Guerra and his friends."He is accompanied by well-known film director, script writer and artist Rustam Handamov. In attendance were RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Pogosyan, Mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan and coordinator of the cultural days program Armen Mazmanyan.
Welcoming the world famous art critic to the hospitable Armenian ground, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for his attitude with regard to our State and people, the Armenian culture, as a whole.
Tonino Guerra acknowledged that he has been in love with Armenia for over two years now. As he said, Armenia and Italy are similar to each other as both of them are poor in natural resources, but rich in historical events and cultural patrimony. The art critic emphasized that all this needs proper representation in the world, with the best way being, according to him, the development of tourism. During the meeting, Tonino Guerra also expressed his vision of the development of tourism in our country, noting that Italy had quite a long experience in this sphere. Speaking about the Yerevan film festival, referred to as Golden Apricot, he noted the importance of similar international events in respect of better representation to the world of our country and people. In sharing his impressions about the film festival, Tonino Guerra said that it was a door wide open to Europe. In the opinion of the world-famous art critic, Armenia's historic masterpieces and the present day, its culture and art allow us to think that it is a country of extended and spiritual journey in which all values tend not only upwards, but also in depth, to the roots."
Director of Tonino Guerra cultural foundation Lora Guerra said that for 2 years now the local office of this institution has been operational in Armenia with a chief target of strengthening the spiritual-cultural and public relationship between the two countries and peoples by means of joint programs and the creation of an operational Armenian-Italian cultural center. She introduced some projects among which the holding of cultural events, the construction in Yerevan of a fountain conceived by Tonino Guerra himself which to the mind of the outstanding art critic should have a symbolical name: The Road to History and Culture. Welcoming the idea of engineering a fountain, the Prime Minister promised to support its construction as much as possible as it would be a good present for Yerevan's 2790th anniversary, which will be celebrated next year.
The head of the government of Armenia further said that all the proposed projects of cultural cooperation were in line with the aspirations of our State and people. The Prime Minister also noted the importance and expediency of the great art critic's point of view about the development of tourism in our country as all the conditions and opportunities necessary to that effect were in place.
"I want you to be assured that I really wish to help Armenia. I want to hold out a helping hand,"- Tonino Guerra said in conclusion of the meeting.
