Armenia and France Deepen Cultural Ties: MoESCS Signs Memorandum with Saté-Âtre Theater

Armenia's Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports (MoESCS) and the French theater company Saté-Âtre have officially signed a memorandum of cooperation. The agreement was ratified by Armenia's Deputy Minister of MoESCS, Tigran Virabyan, and the director of the French company, Satenik (Saté) Khachatryan.

Goals and Shared Responsibilities

The primary objective of this partnership is to strengthen cultural ties between Armenia and France. The initiative aims to promote Armenian heritage within France while introducing French cultural elements to Armenian audiences, with a special emphasis on the development of contemporary dance and dramaturgy.

Under the newly signed document, the two parties have outlined specific responsibilities:

• The MoESCS will provide institutional support for joint ventures and assist in engaging both local and international partners.
• Saté-Âtre will manage the creative, production, and organizational aspects of the projects, ensuring their international promotion and the development of new artistic initiatives.

Future plans include the creation of cultural exchange initiatives and educational programs tailored for young artists. These will feature master classes, creative laboratories, open discussions, and international festivals.

Building on Past Successes

Deputy Minister Virabyan highlighted the success of previously implemented joint projects. A prominent example is the Armenian-French co-production of The Color of Pomegranates, a performance dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the legendary filmmaker Sergei Parajanov. The production featured choreography by Mourad Merzouki and was conceptualized by Saté Khachatryan.

Through the ongoing collaboration between the Ministry and the theater company, several other notable events have been realized at the Artashat Theater in Armenia. These include the Kochar 360° dance performance, honoring the 125th anniversary of prominent Armenian sculptor and artist Yervand Kochar, as well as the Manouchian Week project. The Deputy Minister expressed confidence that this new memorandum will further solidify the foundation of Armenian-French cultural cooperation.