To move the Yerevan Conservatory to the “Academic City” of the Government initiative against signature collection it was concluded today. There are already more than 3 thousand signatures on paper, it remains to count the results of online voting.

Olya Nurijanyan, public relations officer of the university, says that within a few days, not only students, professors, but also friends of the Conservatory joined this protest action.

The government is planning to build an “Academic City” in the area adjacent to the 17th district of Yerevan, where universities will be concentrated in several clusters. Opponents of the initiative counter that the Conservatory in the center of Yerevan is already a separate and long-established cultural cluster with its surroundings.

“It is ready, there is the Opera Hall, the Philharmonic Hall, the Tchaikovsky Music School, Sayat-Nova, etc.,” says Susanna Armenakyan, who teaches violin at the Tchaikovsu and Saryan music schools.

He does not accept explanations that the city will be unloaded, the traffic will be eased if the students leave the center. – “The best proposal is for the government, the National Assembly, the ministries to collect their “all cases” and go outside the city. They want Ashtarak Valley, I don’t know where, to unload the city, leave the city to us.”

The collection of signatures was the initiative of the university’s student council. One of the students, Narek and Suzanna, say that they are now working out the next steps of the struggle. – “That decision was actually made by a few people in the ministry, which was not discussed with wide circles, particularly with the musicians, with the Conservatory. A letter was sent to that effect by the rector, whose answer we have not yet received.”

Minister of Education and Science Zhanna Andreasyan said in a conversation with journalists yesterday that they gladly listen to all opinions, but the change already has the force of law.

“We are very willing, this is a complex process, it is a multi-layered process, it is clear that many things must be taken into account. <> The state program for the development of education until 2030 has been approved by the National Assembly, where our target is fixed, how many universities we should have with state funding.

“Prior to the adoption of that law, it was necessary to weigh and think a lot,” says famous opera singer Hasmik Papyan.

In his opinion, this is not just a change of the building, it is not a matter of improving conditions, this is a struggle for the preservation of history.

“This building bears footprints of such people, I don’t believe that this can come true. The clear plan is not visible, it is not visible where they are going. Somewhere I am also sure that this will probably be that spark that they will not be able to resist. This is a kind of unacceptable limit,” he said.

“Academic city” will consist of 6 directions: educational, arts, technological, classical, medical and officer. Discussions about moving the conservatory intensified when the “Academic City” foundation sent the composition of the working groups forming in the township to the universities. According to that document, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Theater and several cultural institutions will join the Conservatory in the cluster of arts.

A few days ago, the rector of the Fine Arts Academy, Aram Isabekyan, also expressed his opposition to merging with other universities in the “Academic City”. The Institute of Theater and Cinema is still in a state of waiting.

According to Vova Arzumanyan, responsible for public relations of the university, discussions will begin with professors and students in the near future and only then will they announce the final position.

“There won’t be any wave of protest yet, because the students are busy with the productions of their graduation performances, filming their graduation works.

There is no clear idea about the structure of the cluster, on what basis they will be united,” he said.

It is not clear when the “Academic City” will start functioning fully. Although the Minister of Education is talking about the year 2030, the representative of the German company that drew up the master plan for the construction of the township indicated a completely different date, 15-20 years later.