YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Many of the guests who participated in STARMUS VI claimed that STARMUS in Armenia was the best one in the history of the Festival, STARMUS Founding Director Garik Israelian said during the closing ceremony of the Festival.

“The Festival was held very well. I didn’t believe it will be held so good because of many reasons - the coronavirus pandemic, war and etc. All these problems could have been reflected on the achievements of the Festival, but I am happy to see that these problems didn’t affect us at all. STARMUS was so powerful and strong that nothing affected the festival”, he said.

He expressed hope that similar festivals will be held in Armenia in the future. “There is no future in Armenia without science and education”, he added. 

Israelian said that the best cooperation between public structures and STARMUS and the most active participation of students have been in Norway and Armenia. 

Chief of Staff at the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan delivered remarks at the closing ceremony of the Festival, stating that the government of Armenia will make all efforts to develop these directions. He called this festival an additional impetus to the development of science and education. 

“Education and science do not exist without art anymore. And STARMUS is the best combination of it”, he said. 

President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan also participated in the closing ceremony of the Festival. He highly appreciated the holding of the Festival and thanked its organizers for holding the event at the highest level.

“It’s sad that this event is over. I am convinced that it will not only give a new breath, but also will bring a new enthusiasm in Armenia”, he said.

The Festival closed with the premiere of a film “Alexei Leonov: Space Inside”. The film is based on the last interview of Alexei Leonov’s daughter, Oksana Leonova.

On 18 March, 1965, Alexei Leonov became the first human to conduct a space walk. This historic event occurred on the Voskhod 2 flight. He was outside the spacecraft for 12 minutes and nine seconds connected to the craft by a 5.35 meter tether. At the end of the spacewalk, his spacesuit had inflated in the vacuum of space to the point where he could not re-enter the airlock. He opened a valve to allow some of the suit’s pressure to bleed off and was barely able to get back inside the capsule. 

Armenia hosted STARMUS VI: 50 Years on Mars international festival from September 5 to 10.