YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS. The government of Armenia has assisted in holding STARMUS VI Festival in Armenia because the goals of the festival coincide with the strategic vision of the government, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the opening of the Festival in Yerevan. 

“Inspiring and educating the new generation of researchers, strengthening and empowering the spirit of discoveries have been set by STARMUS as a goal. This fully coincides with our vision because we continuously increase the funding for science and education. According to the budget of 2022, the science funding has increased by around 83%. Large-scale reforms are planned in education sector. STARMUS puts art and science on one platform, wants to encourage new talents with the engagement of talented people, makes science closer to a man and a tool of happiness. This is also the vision of our government”, the PM said.

PM Pashinyan said the government wants more youth to be engaged in science, research and technologies in Armenia. “We want that knowing more, creating more becomes the mood of everyone in Armenia. STARMUS wants to formulate questions as higher as possible and even unexpected questions. And our vision is that only by formulating unformulated questions and responding to these questions directly and honestly we could turn Armenia into a country of our dreams. And in this regard this is a meeting on right time and at a right place for all of us”, Nikol Pashinyan said.

He also reminded that this year’s STARMUS Festival is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the first landing of MARS 3 on the Red Planet. 

“I should proudly state that world-renowned Armenian engineer Alexander Kemurdzhian’s Prop-M rover was in the Mars 3 spacecraft that landed on Mars in 1981 by the Soviet Union, and Mars 3 sent back to the Earth the first image of its surface. 

On the sidelines of the festival, we are also celebrating the 100th anniversary of our compatriot, but I want you to pay attention that we do this not only as a historical memory or a historical tribute. The world today is living in an agenda of usurpation and more likely settlement of the planet Mars, and that agenda is becoming more and more tangible. We want Armenian scientists and researchers to bring their contribution to this civilizational mega-project”, he said.

He highlighted the importance of STARMUS in terms of boosting the international partnership in science, higher education and culture spheres. 

“I hope to see many of the guests of the Festival lecturing in our new university, educational system, performing at stages in our country and engaging in our research, scientific projects. I also hope that with the results of the festival more and more of our researchers will be involved in international programs”, the Armenian PM said.