The AGBU Armenian Virtual College participated in the first francophone Economic Forum and the conference of the International Union of Francophone Press (UPF) held during the 17th Summit of La Francophonie in Yerevan on October 9-12, 2018. The AVC multimedia ebook “Découvrons Erevan” was featured on the official website of the Summit as a special e-guide for the guests during their stay in Yerevan. 

Leading experts from Armenia and other countries took part in the Economic Forum, which was also attended by RA President Armen Sarkissian and Secretary-General of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie Michaëlle Jean. During the session dedicated to the new era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and technologies of the future, AVC Founder and President Yervant Zorian and other prominent specialists presented their vision of the future of technological development. 

In a presentation titled “eLearning Technologies: How Armenian Virtual College Serves a Global Nation,” Arpine Tavakalyan, AVC Hybrid Education Coordinator, spoke about the recent global trends and other objective factors that resulted in the weakening of traditional communities and their key role in preserving the Armenian identity. The global nature of the Armenian nation required a globally accessible online platform to acquire knowledge about the Armenian heritage and connect with other Armenians around the world. AVC not only offers a modern and effective way for teaching the Armenian language, history and culture, but serves as a powerful tool for the preservation of the national identity. 

Many participants of the Forum expressed their interest in AVC’s experience as a model for creating similar learning platforms in their countries.
The AVC booth at the venue of the 47th session of the International Union of Francophone Press (UPF) featured the ebook series in French. The guests of the conference were especially interested in the e-book about Yerevan - a unique resource for the visitors enhanced with interactive graphics, videos and sounds.
The e-book “Découvrons Erevan” was available on the official website of the Francophonie Summit as well as on the informational website “Le Courrier d'Erevan”.