YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS. The popularization of Armenian culture in any international arena is very important, Minister of Culture Lilit Makunts told ARMENPRESS, speaking about her USA visit and Armenia’s participation at the Folklife cultural festival in Washington D.C.

The minister assessed her USA visit to be productive. “During the visit I’ve also met with The National Endowment for the Arts, which is funding different cultural programs. We tried to discuss and understand together by what principle and standards they make the selection of cultural programs in 50 US states. It was a rather productive meeting, from which I believe we will make certain conclusions,” Makunts said.

The minister also visited Los Angeles, California. The visit wasn’t funded by the state budget: the local Armenian community and Creative Armenia made the invitation.

She said she met with cultural figures during the visit.

“I also met with a number of wealthy Armenian-Americans during the meeting. Together we tried to understand how they can have their contribution in the new Armenia. Certain processes are in the finalization phase, I have high hopes that we will have a result. I won’t disclose other things at this moment,” the minister said.

Lilit Makunts reminded that New York’s Met will soon host an exhibition about Armenia in September.

“The exhibition will run nearly seven months. It is a great success that the exhibition will take place in such a location,” she said. “Cultural exchange of USA and Armenia is interesting to the extent that originality is appreciated here. We are interesting with our originality not only for the US but the entire world.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan