Six international symposiums on astronomy to be held in Armenia this summer
Arminfo
2007-03-23 20:48:00
Aug 20-25 Armenia will host six international symposiums on astronomy,
says the director of the Burakan observatory Hayk Haroutyunyuan.
400 scientists from European countries, the US, India, China and Japan
will take part in them to discuss and to make reports on problems of
astro-physics, cosmology, ancient astronomy.
Haroutyunyuan says that such events are carried out worldwide each
year. The host country is selected on a competitive basis. This time
the organizers preferred Armenia to Ukraine. The conduct of such
events is a sure way towards European integration.
Concerning the Burakan observatory, Haroutyunyan says that the annual
sum the observatory receives from the government is equivalent to the
salary of one western astronomer. The key source of financing is
cooperation contracts. Italy, Germany and Russia provide the
observatory with necessary equipment.
Haroutyunyan says that Armenia has old traditions in astronomy and the
key problem today is to attract youths into the sphere.