INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY TO BE MARKED UNDER SLOGAN: MUSEUMS FOR SOCIAL HARMONY

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 17, 2010 – 15:39 AMT 10:39 GMT

May 18 will mark the International Museum Day.

Director of the International Council of Museums Representation in
Armenia Hasmik Aroyan said that this year the International Museum Day
will be marked worldwide under the slogan: Museums for Social Harmony.

Museums will open their doors for the public, as well as special
events will be organized, Aroyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

"The principle of social harmony is in the availability of museums,
exhibits, entire cultural heritage for all groups of population,
including disabled people," she said.

According to Aroyan, the events are aimed at securing availability of
museums for disabled people, as well as attracting the authorities’
attention to this problem.

The events are organized by the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, Bridge
of Hope and Unison NGOs, RA Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Labor
and Social Issues.

Astghik Marabyan, Assistant to the Executive Director for Museum
Operations of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, said that the events
will have a consecutive nature. She expressed hope that architectural
changes will soon take place in museums, so that disabled people do
not face difficulties while visiting exhibitions.

Chairman of Unison NGO Armen Alaverdyan stated that the organization
hails these events. "I strongly believe that museums’ reconstruction
for disabled people can be considered as a good investment, as it
will contribute to increase in numbers of tourists."

The International Museum Day was established in 1977 by the
International Council of Museums. Since 1978, it has been marked in
over 150 countries every year.