Category: 2022

33rd International Biology Olympiad launched in Yerevan, Armenia

 22:26,

YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS. Official opening ceremony of the 33rd International Biology Olympiad (IBO) took place in Yerevan’s A. Spendiaryan National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet on July 10.

Student groups from 64 countries arrived in Armenia for the participation to the Olympiad.

Arayik Harutyunyan, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, addressed all participants and guests of the Olympiad, stating that the decision to host the event in Armenia was made by the Association of the International Biology Olympiad back in 2018 during the Olympiad in Tehran, Iran.

“We assumed this responsibility with a major willingness and enthusiasm. Serving as Minister of Education and Science that time, I had an honor to sign the memorandum on holding the Olympiad and I am happy that we have been consistent despite all the challenges and problems of the past years, and today the International Biology Olympiad is already becoming a reality in our country”, he said.

He emphasized that education and science are one of the key sectors for Armenia’s sustainable development, adding that the government is committed to ensure the drastic and qualitative development of these sectors. According to him, the development of science will provide an opportunity to resist the challenges of the time and the developed human resource will ensure the development of both education system and high technology and strategic sectors around the world.

“Sustainable development and universal welfare are possible to achieve only thanks to science. The holding of the International Biology Olympiad confirms the importance and priority of science and education sectors in Armenia”, he said.

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia Vahram Dumanyan also welcomed the participants and stated that he is happy to see students from more than 60 countries of the world in a hall who are the participants of the most leading school event in biology – the International Biology Olympiad.

“Promotion of scientific innovations, development and encouragement of young scientists are one of the key priorities of the Armenian government because we are confident that it is impossible to ensure the society’s prosperous progress without the development of high-quality education and science”, he said.

The minister said that they are running a constant policy to make Armenia a platform of scientific-educational mind, an environment of generating ideas and innovations, and informed that this year Armenia will host STARMUS festival on art and science in September.

“The achievements of biology, which are a source of new development and new technological solutions, are highly important in the 21st century. You are the future owners of the Planet Earth and the future of humanity depends on you. As young biologists, as people who fell in love with science about life, keep and preserve our Planet, take care of it and develop it for the benefit of humanity”, Vahram Dumanyan said.

He wished the participants a productive competition, expressing hope that they will get unforgettable impressions in Armenia and will enjoy the warm Armenian hospitality.

Ryoichi Matsud, Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the International Biology Olympiad, expressed his gratitude to the government of Armenia, the Ministry of Education, the Yerevan State University and the IBO Steering Committee and Science Committee for the support to holding the Olympiad.

“This is the 33rd International Biology Olympiad, and we are proud to see so many participants from all over the world. Dear participants, your significant achievements in the field of biology will be recognized and awarded here today and during this week with the results of your participation to this event”, he said.

Ryoichi Matsud said that the pandemic had a significant educational effect on society. Therefore, he added, biology and biosciences have become strategic tools in fighting all problems.

“Enjoy these difficult and interesting practical and theoretical works, excursions and other interesting activities here in Yerevan, Armenia”, he said.  

IBO Country Coordinator Gayane Ghukasyan in her turn said that they are finally holding the event offline after 2 years of online format. She thanked everyone for assisting the initiative.

The "International Biology Olympiad" (IBO) is the association that organizes the world's premier Biology competition for secondary school students.

In bringing together gifted students, the IBO competition challenges and stimulates these students to expand their talents and to promote their future careers as scientists.

The IBO has been organized since 1990 and has 78 member countries at present. 

Armenia has been a member of IBO since 2009 (in 2008 Armenia participated as an observer country).

Since 2009, 35 Armenian students have participated in the IBO.

During the IBO 2018 Tehran Olympiad, the IBO Association made the decision confirming that the Republic of Armenia would officially host the 33rd International Biology Olympiad on July 10-18, 2022. 

The official authority of IBO 2022 Armenia is the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia. The Olympiad is operated by Yerevan State University.

Team Telecome Armenia is the technological partner of the Olympiad, which has provided the necessary technical and digital solutions for properly holding the event.

Armenpress is the information partner of the Olympiad.

 08:31,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. A 4.4 magnitude earthquake was registered on the Armenia-Georgia border 14km east from the village of Bavra at 07:36 on July 11, the Seismic Protection Survey Seismological Network of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

The earthquake was recorded at a depth of 10km.

The tremor measured magnitude 6 point at the epicenter area.

The earthquake was felt in Shirak and Lori provinces – 5 point, Tavush and Aragatsotn provinces – 4 point, as well as in Yerevan – 2-3 point.

 11:00,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. A 2.8 magnitude earthquake was registered on the Armenia-Georgia border 13km north-east from the village of Bavra at 10:14 on July 11, the Seismic Protection Survey Seismological Network of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

The earthquake was recorded at a depth of 10km.

The tremor measured magnitude 3-4 point at the epicenter area.

The earthquake was felt in Bavra, Saragyugh, Ghazanchi and Tavshut villages of Shirak province – 3 point.

Earlier today, two earthquakes with 4.4 and 3.8 magnitudes were registered at the same place at 07:36 and 09:10 local time.

 09:56,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. A group of lawmakers requested Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to take the country’s presidency after the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, TASS reports citing the Daily Mirror newspaper.

“Following discussions held within the political parties till last evening, Wickremesinghe held a majority of nearly 115 seats in parliament. Several MPs have also requested him to continue and take over the presidency and not leave the economic crisis halfway especially since talks with the IMF were ongoing”, the newspaper said.

According to the Daily Mirror, “if Wickremesinghe continues in office, he will be sworn in as president on Wednesday following Rajapaksa's resignation and till a presidential is held, he will concentrate on finalizing a deal with the IMF and restoring some kind of economic normalcy”.

Following protests on Saturday, which left over 100 people injured with protesters breaking into the residences of the president and prime minister, Rajapaksa said he would step down on July 13. Wickremesinghe also said that he was ready to resign.

 10:24,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. 1,015,679 full vaccinations against COVID-19 were registered in Armenia so far, the Ministry of Healthcare said.

Another 123,823 people received the first dose and 59,689 people received the booster shot.

Construction of colossal Jesus Christ statue in Armenia to launch only after approval of relevant authorities– statement

 12:29,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. “Gagik Tsarukyan” Charity Foundation issued a statement over the current debates regarding the location of erecting the colossal Jesus Christ statue in Armenia.

“Taking into account the concerns voiced by professional community and different public circles about the presence of historical and cultural monuments in the territory of Mount Hatis, “Gagik Tsarukyan” Charity Foundation has applied to relevant authorities to get respective professional conclusions and permissions for launching the construction works.

Currently, some works are being carried out exclusively to ensure infrastructure – roads, electricity, gas and water supply, and the construction of the colossal Jesus Christ statute will launch only after the positive conclusions of the relevant authorities”, the statement says.

Earlier today, the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport issued a statement, urging to suspend any activity in the territory of the ancient site-fortress which contradicts the current laws and rules.

 12:54,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of Armenia Rustam Badasyan was in Georgia on July 7-8 on a working visit together with the delegation led by Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan, the SRC said in a news release.

During the visit the Armenian delegation met with Georgia’s Minister of Finance Lasha Khutsishvili and Head of the Finance Ministry’s Revenue Service Levan Kakava.

During the meeting with the Georgian Finance Minister, the practice of using machine-learning or artificial intelligence tools in risk assessment systems for selecting taxpayers subject to inspection was discussed.

The management of the budget process, citizens’ participation to it, the tax and customs reforms were also touched upon.

Rustam Badasyan and Levan Kakava discussed topics of mutual cooperation interest. They stated that the legal-contractual relations between Armenia and Georgia in tax and customs administration enable to actively cooperate both in bilateral and international platforms.

On July 8 Badasyan and Kakava signed a protocol on the launch of the project based on the memorandum between the State Revenue Committee of Armenia and the Revenue Service of the Georgian Finance Ministry relating to the exchange of preliminary electronic data on international transportation of vehicles and goods.

The sides expressed readiness to intensive the practical steps in order to implement the agreements reached.

 13:16,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. 354 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Armenia in the past one week, the ministry of health said.

The total number of confirmed cases has reached 423,771.

5256 tests were conducted within a week.

No death case has been registered. The death toll stands at 8626.

The number of recoveries rose by 226, bringing the total to 413,043.

The number of active cases is 418.

 13:52,

YEREVAN, JULY 11, ARMENPRESS. The 35th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between the National Assembly of Armenia and the Federal Assembly of Russia was held in the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk, the Armenian Parliament’s press service said.

Before the beginning of the meeting, the Co-Chairs of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee, Hakob Arshakyan and Yuri Vorobyov, accompanied by the members of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation , laid a wreath and flowers at the Eternal Flame of the Victory Memorial.