On March 31, 2025, in the Armenian capital Yerevan, Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung and his counterpart Tigran Avinyan sealed a joint year of culture between the two cities in the presence of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Vahagn Khachaturian, President of the Republic of Armenia. Starting on October 1, 2025, the aim is to intensify cultural exchange and thus promote mutual understanding. The signing was part of the official visit program of the Federal President, who will visit the Republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan from 30 March to 2 April 2025.
"Our joint cultural year offers the opportunity to make the rich culture of both cities accessible to a wider audience. We see this as an important step towards even closer cooperation in the fields of culture, education and art," emphasizes Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung.
As part of the Year of Culture, which runs until 31 October 2026, a wide range of events and programmes are planned in both cities, including exhibitions, concerts, theater performances, literary readings and film screenings as well as workshops and educational projects. The focus will be on both traditional and contemporary culture. A joint working group is responsible for the organization.
The Armenian capital and Leipzig have been in regular contact for several years. The Peaceful Revolution of 1989 and the Velvet Revolution of 2018 are important connecting events. Back in August 2021, Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung and Armenian Ambassador Ashot Smbatyan signed a memorandum of cooperation focusing on culture, business, tourism, education, youth and sport. Thanks to this cooperation, the joint exhibition "The Spirit of Past Future" by the Leipzig artist Margret Hoppe and the Armenian artist Nvard Yerkanian can be seen in Yerevan from April 1. It presents very different views and artistic reinterpretations of famous and less famous buildings that are part of the architectural history of modernism.
All information at www.leipzig.de/jerewan.
