12:32, 9 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. The Pan-Armenian Games World Committee held a session to discuss the organizational matters of the upcoming 8th Pan-Armenian Games scheduled to take place in August.

The opening ceremony will take place in Gyumri.

Pan-Armenian Games World Committee President Ishkhan Zakaryan said they have received thousands of applications for participation.

“At this moment we have received thousands of bids both from abroad and Armenia. The volunteer groups are also ready, we have 900 volunteers at this moment who will help organize the games,” Zakaryan said.

Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan was also in attendance at the meeting. He welcomed the steering committee members and commended the Pan-Armenian Games as an important component of independent Armenia’s public life.

“In the early years, the number of participants in the Pan-Armenian Games was around 1500, but now this number has quadrupled. The number of competitions doubled, allowing greater numbers of talented athletes to perform,” Khachatryan said, highlighting the fact that this year the tournaments will be held in Shirak, Aragatsotn, Kotayk and Ararat.

“It’s no secret that most of the cultural and sports events are centralized in the capital Yerevan, thus the provincial coverage of the Pan-Armenian Games is an important step to promote sports and healthy lifestyle in provinces,” he added, noting the importance of Pan-Armenian Games in terms of bringing together the Armenian communities from the Diaspora in Armenia.