Guatemala

THE ESTABLISHMENT SEES ARMENIA'S CULTURAL FUTURE IN GUATEMALA, TIGRAN KHZMALYAN SAYS

http://en.aravot.am/2013/02/07/152059/ February 7 2013

www.aravot.am inquired of Tigran Khzmalyan, a director and a member of the initiative group of the Sardarapat movement, what he thought of the issue of building a cultural bridge between Armenia and Guatemala raised by Hasmik Poghosyan, the Minister of Culture, with the Prime Minister of Armenia.

Let us remind that according to the cooperation agreement, Armenia and Guatemala, for example, will participate in international film festivals, if they are organized in Armenia or Guatemala.

"I am happy and excited that our centuries-old dream has finally come true, and we are already building cultural bridges with Guatemala. I have recalled a saying common when I was young, 'The wrong country is called Honduras.' We used to say that at the time, meaning our own country. Perhaps, it will be good, if we move on to Honduras immediately after Guatemala; after that, everything will fall into place. We choose our path ourselves; elections are not held once in four or five years, they are held every day. If the Armenian Ministry of Culture chooses Guatemala in this big world, then the Establishment sees Armenia's cultural role and mission there. One shouldn't refuse anything, and I say we should strengthen our ties with Honduras too," the director said mockingly.

He is convinced that there are more urgent issues in the field of culture today, which need solution and are not paid attention to. And the reason, according to Khzmalyan, is the following, "The main difference between us and the aggressive elite, the Establishment is in culture and systems of values; theirs is Honduras and Guatemala, ours is a bit different."

Does Guatemala have a serious movie industry and traditions, after all? "I hear about that for the first time, but I think that one may open a big market of Armenian TV series using that agreement, since other countries will hardly agree to buy the production that the Ministry of Culture encourages in Armenia. Perhaps, it will be mutual; no other country in the world besides Armenia will be interested in the Guatemalan movie production," the director added.

Gohar HAKOBYAN

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