“Armenia e Terra di Bari”
A round table about the relations Armenia-Apulia with Amb. Tsovinar Hambardzumyan
The international meeting “Armenia e Terra di Bari” took place on Friday 21 June 2024 at the Fiera del Levante in Bari. The event took place in collaboration between Fondazione Nikolaos, chaired by Dr. Vito Giordano Cardone, and some members of the local Armenian community. The aim of the initiative was the meeting with the official representation of the Republic of Armenia in Italy. In this situation, many actions have been planned aimed at making Apulian entrepreneurs aware of the potential of the Land of Nairi.
The Armenian elements of the history of Puglia and the potential for scientific-cultural development of Armenia represented the reference basis of the meeting. Fiera del Levante represented the natural incubation place for this project, thanks to the presence of the President Dr. Gaetano Frulli. The participation of “Aeroporti di Puglia” is essential, in the person of the president Dr. Antonio Maria Vasile, who can guarantee interest in the passenger and goods transport sector.
Also representing the Polytechnic of Bari was prof. Giulia Annalinda Neglia who recalled that exchange and mobility projects for teachers and students are underway with the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia. Dr. Adriano Buzzanca, director of the State Archives of Bari, declared himself interested in activating exchanges of good practices in the field of document digitization and the training of the archival school within the Archive of Bari which this year celebrates 50 years. years of life.
The presence of the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia H.E. Tsovinar Hambardzumyan was highly praised for her clarity and eloquence.
The Ambassador thanked the organizers and she has presented, in general terms, the potential of his nation. The fiscal guarantees, the internal political stability, the laws to protect free initiative, make Armenia an interesting country to explore and in which to potentially invest. Armenia expresses its potential in various cultural fields: it is at the forefront of scientific and technological research also thanks to public-private investments in various fields.
After the speeches of the representatives of the Armenian community of Bari, dr. Dario Rupen Timurian, prof. Carlo Coppola and dr. Siranush Quaranta, the creation of an associative network to channel the interests of Apulian entrepreneurs towards Armenia was publicly hypothesized. The future objectives of this will be: 1) To make the Italian part aware of a market full of potential that deserves to be investigated, to bring benefits to both parties. 2) To facilitate contacts with the Armenian territory, not only by promoting entrepreneurial, commercial, cultural and scientific relations, but by creating exchanges of good practices and know-how. 3) To show the goodness and excellence of Puglia to the Land of Armenia, whose entrepreneurial and cultural vision compared to Italy is still stuck in the stereotypes of a few territories.
The meeting was attended by 15 Apulian companies and consortia with important turnover and decades of international experience. Everyone was able to present themselves freely, in the forms and ways they wished, through a public debate. Finally, those present at the meeting hope to write together and as soon as possible an unpublished page on the relations between Puglia and Armenia.
