On March 12, events in the frameworks of the ‘Days of Artsakh in France’ Festival started in Decines-Charpieu city, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France.

Permanent Representative of Artsakh to France Hovhannes Gevorgyan, Mayor of Decines-Charpieu Laurence Fautra, Chairman of the France-Artsakh Friendship Circle Francois Rochebloine, Member of the National Assembly of France Daniel Kazaryan, Vice-Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Lyon Gayane Manukyan, members of the City Council, representatives of the local self-governing bodies and NGOs, as well as journalists were present at the opening ceremony.

The events started with the presentation of French photographer Yvan Travert’s photo exhibition titled ‘Artsakh: the Spirit of the Land’.

The program of the ‘Days of Artsakh in France’ also includes the exposition of ‘Pilgrimage to Artsakh’ watercolor pictures by artist Silvan Savoia, as well as the screening of the documentary ‘We are Our Mountains’ by film director Arnaud Khayadjanian and the animated film ‘Artsakh in 180 Seconds’ by Hulé Kéchichian in the Le Toboggan Cinema hall.

In the frameworks of the Festival, the Armenian Culture House of Decines-Charpieu plans to organize on March 19 a lecture by French-Armenian mathematician and historian Claude Mutafian, titled ‘Discover Artsakh’.

On September 25, 2017, a Friendship Declaration was signed between Chartar town of the Republic of Artsakh and Decines-Charpieu city of France.