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YEREVAN, JANUARY 10, ARMENPRESS: Russian center affiliated to the Yerevan State University is operating from February 2008 on the initiative of “Russian World” Foundation operating in Russia. The main goal is the development of Russian language and its spreading in the whole world. The center was created the first among the other 102 Russian centers operating in the world.
Armenpress news agency spoke about the operation of the center and the situation of Russian language in our country with the director of the center Arusyak Nersesyan.
- Which was the prior goal of creation of the center?
- We are facing an important issue – we do not have communication environment and even in case of great wish to speak Russian a person does not find corresponding environment. Even the generation of former Russian-speaking families does not speak Russian. Today the Russian language is language of mass media and films.
Currently the attitude toward Russian has changed in our country. Even those who know the language, feel shame to speak Russian. Our center creates such an atmosphere where the young people speak Russian on their own wish.
- Do we face issue of not knowing Russian language?
- Of course we do. One of the reasons is that young people read less. Today they have two sources of getting Russian information – television and internet. Our young people even unwillingly prefer to use Russian web sites and not English ones. They may know English grammar excellently but together with it they understand Russian better. So we do not face the issue of not understanding the language, our issue is to make them speak. We are showing documentary films according to specialization to wake wish of expression, discussion. First of all it is necessary to overcome the language barrier and not say “I can’t speak Russian”.
- What literature is today’s young person interested in?
- In many cases young people come and take these or that books which they are assigned for exams. But cases when they choose fiction are not few as well.
- What programs do you have this year?
- The 2011 is announced the Year of Aeronautics. We are planning to carry out a program connected with it. Such like program we implemented dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Great Patriotic War.