UNESCO proclaims Yerevan the 2012 World Book Capital

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YEREVAN, July 8 (Itar-Tass) - A selection panel, consisting of three
leading international professional book associations and the UNESCO, has
proclaimed the Armenian capital of Yerevan to be the 2012 World Book
Capital, a source at the Armenian Ministry of Culture told Itar-Tass on
Wednesday.
Yerevan has become the 12th city to receive this honorary title since
2001. In previous years, it was bestowed to Madrid (Spain), Alexandria
(Egypt), New Delhi (India), Antwerp (Belgium), Montreal (Canada), Turin
(Italy), Bogota (Colombia), Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Beirut (Lebanon),
Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Buenos Aires (Argentina).
This year the panel selected Yerevan for its high quality book
publishing projects. "They are realistic and reflect the social structure
of the city. They are focused on universal aspects and all the elements of
the book publishing business," members of the selection panel said.
"I would like to congratulate Yerevan on presenting a very interesting
project covering various themes, including freedom of expression and
numerous events for children, who are the future readers and writers,"
UNESCO's General Director Irina Bokova said.
"The participation of representatives of all sectors of book
publishing and trade in books, from authors and publishers to the owners
of printing offices and editors, will enable Yerevan to achieve great
success. Its project will be remembered for long," Bokova went on to say.
Every year, the UNESCO and three major international organizations in
the field of the book industry elect the World Book Capital for a term of
twelve months. The term begins on April 23, marked as the World Book and
Copyright Day, and ends the same day next year.
The three professional international organizations include the
International Publishers Association, the International Booksellers
Federation and the International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions.

. Medvedev to hold offsite meeting on information society in Russia.

MOSCOW, July 8 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will
travel to the town of Tver on Thursday to hold an offsite meeting of the
Council for developing an information society in Russia. It will assess
the interim results and prospects of work in priority areas of using IT in
the social sphere.
President Medvedev will make an opening speech. After him, the heads
of the Council's respective working groups will deliver their reports.
They include Minister of Education and Science Andrei Fursenko, Minister
of Public Health and Social Development Tatyana Golikova, Culture Minister
Alexander Avdeyev as well as Leonid Reiman, presidential adviser and the
secretary of the Council for developing an information society.
The Council is a conciliatory body under the Russian president. It was
set up in November 2008. It ensures interaction among the federal bodies
of state power, regional bodies of state power, local self-government
bodies, public associations, scientific and other organizations in
questions of developing an information society in Russia.

. Gazprom opens representative office in Riga.

RIGA, July 8 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian gas monopoly Gazprom opened a
representative office in the Latvian capital on Wednesday.
Valery Goluberv, the vice-chairman of the Gazprom board of directors,
Latvian Economics Minister Artis Kampars, Russia's Ambassador to Latvia
Alexander Veshnyakov and representatives of the leading European oil and
gas companies attended the meeting.
"Strengthening long-term mutually beneficial cooperation with the
Baltic States is one of the company's vital strategic tasks," Golubev went
on to say.
"The work of Gazprom's office will raise the efficiency of
implementing large-scale projects and will give an additional impetus to
closer cooperation with regional states," he emphasized.
Gazprom opened its representation in Latvia in 2008.
"The subsidiary's main tasks are to assist in carrying out long-term
mutually beneficial economic cooperation between Gazprom and the Baltic
States and represent and protect the company's interests in the region.
The representation will also search for new areas and forms of the company'
s work in the Baltic energy markets. Besides, the representation will
provide informational and analytical support for project which Gazprom is
going to implement in the region and will coordinate the work of companies
to be set up by Gazprom in the Baltic States," Gazprom's press service
reports.

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