YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS. Photos by photographers of the Belarusian BelTA news agency are on display at the Marshal Baghramyan Metro Station in Yerevan as part of the first Armenian International Photo Festival.

BelTA General Director Irina Akulovich said thanks to the exhibition visitors can see Belarus the way many probably don’t know the country.

“For Belarusians it is very meaningful that we are at the Marshal Baghramyan Station, because this name is known in Belarus. He is a man who has done a lot for the liberation of our country. We are a part of an international photography exhibition the main idea of which is to be unique. We wanted to show through the photos that Belarusians are able to keep their unique traditions and celebrations,” she said.

Some of the 20 pictures on display were photographed by BelTA photo-correspondent Oksana Manchuk.

“This is the first international exhibition where my photographs are displayed. I am very happy that it is held in Yerevan because our agency and Armenia’s ARMENPRESS news agency have close ties. I am also happy that the photos are displayed at the metro station because this makes them accessible to broader segments. People can view the photos and get to know our country’s culture while waiting for the train,” Manchuk said.

Armenia’s Ambassador to Belarus Armen Ghevondyan, who was also in attendance at the event, attached importance to the organization of such event. “The organization of this kind of cultural events is aimed at highlighting the historic connection to the traditions and ethic-cultural foundations which are typical to any nation. In this case the exhibition of Belarusian photographs in Armenia enables visitors and people who are getting to know Belarus for the first time to feel how multilateral the Belarusian culture is and how many similarities exist in the history and culture of our two peoples,” the ambassador said.

Belarusian Ambassador to Armenia Igor Nazaruk said the importance of the exhibition is that they have the chance to present the peculiarities of the Belarusian culture and national traditions.

“This exhibition is important by the fact that it is held in the station named after famous Marshal Baghramyan of the Great Patriotic War, who had great contribution in the liberation of our country. This isn’t the only cultural project between our two countries, projects are taking place regularly and are continuous,” he said.

Yerevan Metro spokesperson Tatev Khachatryan noted that this is the first international photo exhibition that is being organized in the Metro.

ARMENPRESS Director Aram Ananyan noted that he is happy to support the festival as media partner.

“We are happy to have had certain contribution in the photo festival as one of the media partners, we are also happy that the state news agency of Belarus is represented in Yerevan with a very unique and interesting exhibition,” Ananyan said, reminding that one months ago ARMENPRESS had its own exhibition organized in Minsk, Belarus.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan