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FROM GREEK THESSALONICA TO ARMENIAN MEGHRI: BLACK SEA SILK ROAD CORRIDOR PROJECT LAUNCHED
17:21 16.07.2013
Black Sea Silk Road Corridor
The Armenian, Georgian, Greek, and Turkish partners of the Black
Sea Silk Road Corridor (BSSRC) Project celebrated the official
trans-regional launch of the project at Noravank Monastery in Vayots
Dzor, Armenia on July 16.
BSSRC is a joint-project between NGO partners in Georgia, Greece,
Turkey, and Armenia to create a 3000 kilometer-long tourist trail
stretching from Thessalonica, Greece to Meghri, Armenia. The project
will also fund the development of applications for iPhones, iPads,
Android and Windows smart phones and tablets.
The Project is funded by the EU office through its Black Sea Basin
Joint Operational Programme, with co-financing for Armenia from
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its
Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) project.
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, Head of the EU Delegation
to Armenia Traian Hristea, Ambassadors of Greece, Georgia, Italy and
China, and representatives from the Armenian Ministries of Culture,
Economy, Transport and Communication, as well as the Holy See
Etchmiadzin delivered remarks during the event.
Participants watched performances from the Areni and ShatinVillage
dancers and musicians, took part in a bread and salt ceremony with
local villagers, toured the monastery complex, and visited a local
winery.
"BSSRC is yet another chance to promote the Armenian civilization as
part of the world's cultural heritage. This project opens a cultural
exchange with neighboring countries, which will also increase the
competitiveness of the tourism industry and positively affect the
quality of infrastructures and services. This project will enhance the
significance of Armenia as a tourism destination, which is an important
precondition for the sustainable development of the Armenian tourism
industry," noted Armenian Travel Bureau Head Hovhannes Margaryan.
"The Silk Road was an important trade route in history, and this
historic destination contributed to the development of various
countries. Today we are trying to revive the Silk Road Corridor as
a tourism destination and a hidden treasure," noted Firat Polat,
Deputy President of the Economists' Association from Turkey.
According to the Greek partner representative, Pyrrhus Mercouris, the
new mobile phone technologies will allow visitors to access information
and data about interesting places to visit and information on tourist
services. This online system will be presented to tour agencies and
tourism professionals, particularly focusing on how historic monuments
and eco-sites are linked and displayed through GPS and on the mobile
phone application, and how they can use the trail to promote tourism
packages and thus make local attractions more accessible to tourists.
"This project links Georgia with Silk Road trails in Armenia,
Turkey, and Greece, which is important in encouraging cross border
communication and people-to-people understanding of the diverse
cultures located along the Silk Road Corridor," noted Simon Kopadze,
Director of "Tadzreli" Foundation in Georgia.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/07/16/from-greek-thessalonica-to-armenian-meghri-black-sea-silk-road-corridor-project-launched/
17:21 16.07.2013
Black Sea Silk Road Corridor
The Armenian, Georgian, Greek, and Turkish partners of the Black
Sea Silk Road Corridor (BSSRC) Project celebrated the official
trans-regional launch of the project at Noravank Monastery in Vayots
Dzor, Armenia on July 16.
BSSRC is a joint-project between NGO partners in Georgia, Greece,
Turkey, and Armenia to create a 3000 kilometer-long tourist trail
stretching from Thessalonica, Greece to Meghri, Armenia. The project
will also fund the development of applications for iPhones, iPads,
Android and Windows smart phones and tablets.
The Project is funded by the EU office through its Black Sea Basin
Joint Operational Programme, with co-financing for Armenia from
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its
Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) project.
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, Head of the EU Delegation
to Armenia Traian Hristea, Ambassadors of Greece, Georgia, Italy and
China, and representatives from the Armenian Ministries of Culture,
Economy, Transport and Communication, as well as the Holy See
Etchmiadzin delivered remarks during the event.
Participants watched performances from the Areni and ShatinVillage
dancers and musicians, took part in a bread and salt ceremony with
local villagers, toured the monastery complex, and visited a local
winery.
"BSSRC is yet another chance to promote the Armenian civilization as
part of the world's cultural heritage. This project opens a cultural
exchange with neighboring countries, which will also increase the
competitiveness of the tourism industry and positively affect the
quality of infrastructures and services. This project will enhance the
significance of Armenia as a tourism destination, which is an important
precondition for the sustainable development of the Armenian tourism
industry," noted Armenian Travel Bureau Head Hovhannes Margaryan.
"The Silk Road was an important trade route in history, and this
historic destination contributed to the development of various
countries. Today we are trying to revive the Silk Road Corridor as
a tourism destination and a hidden treasure," noted Firat Polat,
Deputy President of the Economists' Association from Turkey.
According to the Greek partner representative, Pyrrhus Mercouris, the
new mobile phone technologies will allow visitors to access information
and data about interesting places to visit and information on tourist
services. This online system will be presented to tour agencies and
tourism professionals, particularly focusing on how historic monuments
and eco-sites are linked and displayed through GPS and on the mobile
phone application, and how they can use the trail to promote tourism
packages and thus make local attractions more accessible to tourists.
"This project links Georgia with Silk Road trails in Armenia,
Turkey, and Greece, which is important in encouraging cross border
communication and people-to-people understanding of the diverse
cultures located along the Silk Road Corridor," noted Simon Kopadze,
Director of "Tadzreli" Foundation in Georgia.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/07/16/from-greek-thessalonica-to-armenian-meghri-black-sea-silk-road-corridor-project-launched/