YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS. In new Armenia, people must be in real and constant relationship with arts and culture, national values must be close to people like a parent, a friend, PM Nikol Pashinyan said after witnessing how very few people have attended the “powerful” concert of the Armenian National Academic Choir in honor of the 150th anniversary of birth of Komitas.

“Yesterday I and Anna went to the Armenian National Academic Choir’s concert dedicated to the 150th anniversary of birth of Komitas. 150th anniversary of birth of Komitas, National Academic Choir, conducted by National Hero of Armenia Hovhannes Chekijyan, superb concert. And – a semi-empty hall. This is the real face of our cultural life and policy. Ask anyone and they will say that Komitas, Chekijyan, and the Academic Choir are our national values. But the system is built in a way to make as little people as possible to interact with this national value. Because, this is high national value right, “it’s not for everyone”, masterpieces of art should be kept at the storages of museums (like rococo glasses kept in the closet”, because they are values and aren’t for daily use. As few people as possible must go to museums or not go at all. And so on..,” the PM said sarcastically.

He emphasized that the cultural policy’s goal should be the elimination of this system. He says that the perception must be sowed as early as from school. “It is this very problem or group of problems that the ministry of education, science and culture must solve,” he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan