Category: News

Idram and IDBank conducted a series of three-day financial literacy training sessions for over 460 participants of the AI Camp organized by the FAST Foundation. With the exponential rise of technology and AI, staying safe in the digital space is becoming increasingly vital for teenagers.

This time, the financial literacy course of Idram and IDBank had two main focuses: fraud prevention methods, along with basic financial concepts and the essentials of launching a startup.

The sessions were held by Tatevik Vardevanyan, Head of the Communications and Social Responsibility Programs Department at IDBank and Idram; Gevorg Darakhchyan, Senior Trainer at IDBank; and Albert Tunyan, Key Account and Digital Payments Projects Unit Head at IDBank and Idram.

Tatevik Vardevanyan, Head of the Communications and Social Responsibility Department, emphasized that financial literacy is a vital skill today: “We are delighted to be here at the summer camp organized by the FAST Foundation. Interacting with the children showed just how interested they are in our financial literacy course. They participated very actively and asked many questions. We sincerely hope that we were able to pass on essential knowledge, which will empower them to make stable and balanced financial decisions in the future”.

Albert Tunyan, Key Account and Digital Payments Projects Unit Head at IDBank and Idram, stated: “The enthusiasm of the participants was undeniable. Throughout the meeting, we explored the toolkit they can use to build their future careers in business. Additionally, we addressed the phases of startup creation and development. I will be glad if many of them ultimately choose an entrepreneurial direction.”

Anush Ayvazyan, Head of Educational Programs at the FAST Foundation, noted: “We highly value this cooperation with Idram and IDBank, thanks to which the children had the opportunity to develop a business mindset and acquire sales skills in the financial sector. We are confident that the course has made a profound impact on the participants, contributing to the realization of their future business ideas.”

IDRAM AND IDBANK COMPANIES ARE SUPERVISED BY THE CBA

The renowned French-Armenian actor, playwright, and director Simon Abkarian will be a guest of honor at the 23rd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival.

Abkarian began his nearly half-century of creative work in theater and cinema in the early 1980s in America, later continuing his path at Ariane Mnouchkine’s legendary Théâtre du Soleil.

Since the 1990s, he has also shone bright with great success on film and television screens in both France and the United States.

Abkarian has collaborated with distinguished directors such as Cédric Klapisch, Atom Egoyan, Robert Guédiguian, Sally Potter, and Fatih Akin, among others. He has portrayed Arshile Gorky and Missak Manouchian, and in 2026, he starred as General de Gaulle in Antonin Baudry’s eponymous film, premiering in Cannes.

Abkarian has also repeatedly received the French theater community’s highest honor, the Molière Award, being named Best Actor in 2001, and both Best Director and Best Living French-Language Writer in 2020.

The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 2 July, USD exchange rate up by 0.15 drams to 368.2 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.61 drams to 420.08 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.014 drams to 4.7211 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 3.18 drams to 490.88 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 770 drams to 48411 drams. Silver price down by 6.23 drams to 689.56 drams.

National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has met with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Simonyan said in a post on his Facebook page.

“I thanked Mr. President for our effective cooperation during this period and wished him continued success in his future work,” the parliament speaker wrote.

Earlier, the board of the ruling Civil Contract party selected National Assembly Vice Speaker Ruben Rubinyan in a closed vote as its nominee for speaker of the newly elected parliament.

The other contenders were incumbent Speaker Alen Simonyan and Civil Contract parliamentary faction leader Hayk Konjoryan.

Speaking to reporters on July 2, Simonyan announced that he would not take up his parliamentary mandate and would not serve in the newly elected National Assembly.

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) will provide financing for an expansion programme at Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC).

According to Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine, the relevant loan agreement was signed by Sergei Ignatov, EDB Senior Managing Director and Head of the Project Unit, and Nikolay Vedenin, Chief Financial Officer of Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine, on the sidelines of the bank’s Annual Meeting and Business Forum.

Under the agreement, the EDB will provide ZCMC with a non-revolving credit facility of $120 million. The financing will support the company’s investment programme, which envisages increasing ore processing capacity as part of its long-term development strategy.

“The financing will support a programme aimed at improving the efficiency of the production cycle. This reflects one of the EDB’s key priorities – providing long-term financing for industrial modernisation in the region by building on existing industrial potential,” Ignatov said.

“The financing will allow us to consistently implement our investment programme aimed at increasing ore processing volumes. This is an important step towards improving efficiency, upgrading technical capabilities and ensuring the long-term sustainable development of production,” Vedenin said.

Arusyak Manavazyan has been nominated as the candidate for leader of the ruling Civil Contract parliamentary faction, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced after a faction meeting.

“Dear members of the media, following discussions and a closed secret ballot, Arusyak Manavazyan was elected as the candidate for leader of the Civil Contract parliamentary faction,” Pashinyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Canada Day. The congratulatory message reads:

“I warmly congratulate you and the friendly people of Canada on Canada Day.

It was a great honor for me to host you in Yerevan in May of this year, within the framework of the 8th Summit of the European Political Community. I recall with satisfaction our meeting, which provided a good opportunity to discuss the agenda of Armenia-Canada cooperation and outline the directions for its further development. I am confident that this positive dialogue will give a new impetus to the further deepening of the partnership between Armenia and Canada.

Armenia attaches great importance to the continued development of friendly relations with Canada, based on democracy, human rights, the rule of law and mutual respect.

I am hopeful that through joint efforts it will be possible to further expand and strengthen our cooperation in areas of mutual interest, for the benefit of our two countries and peoples.

I wish you good health and success, and peace and prosperity to the friendly people of Canada.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and Armenia’s diplomatic missions abroad continue their efforts with international partners to expand export opportunities for Armenian products and strengthen their presence in international markets, particularly within the European Union.

To this end, Made in Armenia Expo will be held on 3–4 July at the Kultuurikatel Cultural Centre in Tallinn, Estonia, featuring products from around 50 Armenian producers.

The event will showcase a wide range of Armenian products, including high-quality food products, wines and other alcoholic beverages, preserved foods, organic agricultural produce, textiles, leather goods, and handicrafts.The exhibition, organized on the initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Lithuania and the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Estonia, in cooperation with the Estonian-Armenian community “Dvin” and with the active support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, is open to members of the business community, representatives of relevant sectors, as well as to all visitors interested in Armenian products and Armenia’s export potential.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Estonia will continue their policy of supporting initiatives aimed at diversifying economic and business ties.

With the support of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport is launching Varchafest 2026 (the festival’s name combines the Armenian word varchapet (“prime minister”) with “fest”), a youth summer music festival that will serve as a new platform bringing together young musicians, creative ideas, and the community built around music.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, participating bands will have the opportunity to present their original works and performances to a wide audience, while the top performers will receive prizes from a total prize fund of AMD 10 million.

Prize fund

• Grand Prize – AMD 4,000,000
• First Prize – AMD 3,000,000
• Second Prize – AMD 2,000,000
• Third Prize – AMD 1,000,000

Eligibility requirements

Applications are open exclusively to musical bands whose members are between 13 and 35 years of age. Each band must consist of at least three members.

To participate in the preliminary selection round, applicants must submit a video recording by email to [email protected].

Performances must be presented live, and participating groups must perform as vocal-instrumental ensembles.

Applications are accepted from all musical genres.

The festival programme must consist of up to three compositions, with a total duration of 10–12 minutes.

Applications are also open to foreign participants.

Musical groups based and operating outside the Republic of Armenia are also eligible to apply. (The programme does not provide reimbursement of participation-related expenses.)

Applications will be accepted from July 1 through July 20, 2026.

The festival final will take place on August 22, 2026, on the shores of Lake Sevan.

The winners will be selected based on a 50/50 combined evaluation by a professional jury and the audience, ensuring a balanced combination of professional assessment and public vote.

Varchafest 2026 aims to become not only a music competition but also an annual platform for youth, culture and creativity, promoting the discovery of new talent, expanding creative collaboration, fostering domestic tourism, and enhancing Armenia’s cultural profile.

The European Union highly values its partnership with Armenia in advancing justice sector reforms and strengthening the rule of law.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day Armenian Platform for European Prosecutors’ Dialogue in Yerevan, EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos said Armenia has made significant efforts in recent years to modernize its legal and institutional framework, improve the effectiveness of law enforcement and prosecution services, and align its practices with European standards.

Referring to the significance of the conference, Maragos noted that through the Partnership for Good Governance, the European Union and the Council of Europe continue to work together to support the rule of law, democratic governance, and reforms aimed at strengthening justice institutions. According to him, this applies to the entire Eastern Partnership region.

“The challenges we face today do not stop at national borders. Criminal networks operate internationally, and our response must be equally well coordinated. Conferences such as this provide a valuable opportunity to learn from one another, exchange practical experience, identify emerging threats, and build professional networks that are essential for effective international cooperation and for fostering trust across borders. I reaffirm the European Union’s strong support for this initiative and our continued partnership with Armenia and the Council of Europe,” Maragos said.

He added that Armenia stands out for its commitment to democracy and its determination to implement important reforms.

Maragos noted that the European Union has placed asset recovery and confiscation at the centre of its efforts to combat serious and organized crime.

“Following the money is often the most effective way to dismantle criminal networks. Depriving criminals of their illicit profits not only delivers justice but also removes the financial incentives that drive criminal activity. Effective asset recovery directly contributes to strengthening public trust in the justice system, democracy, and democratic institutions.

At the same time, our efforts must remain firmly grounded in respect for human rights, due process, and legal certainty. The protection of property rights, judicial oversight, proportionality, and procedural safeguards are essential elements of any successful asset recovery framework.

The European Union welcomes the growing attention being given to the management of seized and confiscated assets. Proper asset management is often an overlooked, yet crucial, component of the asset recovery process,” the EU ambassador to Armenia said.