On October 27, the Minister of Culture of France, Rima Abdul Malak and Deputy Ministers of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the RA, Arthur Martirosyan, Alfred Kocharyan, and Daniel Danielyan visited TUMO Center for Creative Technologies accompanied by H.E. Mr. Olivier Decottignies, France’s Counsellor of the Minister, Tristan Frido, Head of Cabinet of the Minister, Mathieu Fournet, President and director of the Louvre Museum, Laurence Des Cars, former Mayor of Lyon, Georges Kepenekian, actor and stage director, Simon Abkarian, singer and pianist, Macha Gharibian, and more. Their tour gave the Minister and her delegation a firsthand look at the TUMO educational program, after which they sat down for face-to-face discussions with TUMO’s management.
The primary objective of the visit was for our guests to see what makes TUMO tick and why our educational model — known for its hands-on approach — has been so successful. The Minister and her team were keen to learn how TUMO manages to engage and inspire youth to learn.
Their tour was followed by discussions with TUMO’s CEO Marie Lou Papazian, CDO Pegor Papazian, and management from various departments that revolved around the program’s effectiveness in promoting independent learning and critical thinking. Another key topic of conversation was TUMO’s expansion into other countries. The French Minister was keen on acknowledging the success of the adoption of the TUMO model across the globe and the importance of making a free-of-charge program in STEM available to teens.
Minister Rima Abdul Malak noted, “I’m truly impressed with what TUMO has accomplished here. It’s a fantastic model for engaging young minds in creative education. I’m also proud that we have TUMO centers in Paris and Lyon. It’s an excellent testament to the impact and reach of the TUMO program.”
The historical and cultural ties between Armenia and France made this visit even more meaningful. The strong relationship between the two countries has always been a foundation of their collaboration, and we’re proud to continue to carry on that baton toward deeper cultural cooperation and knowledge sharing.
As the French Minister concluded her visit, it became clear that the exchange of ideas and experiences between these two nations can lead to valuable advancements in creative education. The lessons learned during this visit will likely have a lasting impact on the future of education, not only in Armenia and France but also around the world.
