A celegation from Etchmiadzin, Armenia, will tour various sites around the California State University, Fresno campus on Monday, Aug 16, as part of a visit to its new Sister City, Fresno.
The visiting delegates are Etchmiadzin Mayor Karen Grigoryan, Vice Mayor Vazrik Grigoryan,and City Council members Tigran Kamavosyan and Samvel Franklyan.
The Etchmiadzin guests will visit the Fresno State Winery and the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market. Hosting the group will be enology professor Ken Fugelsang and Bill Erysian, the director of international projects for the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
Delegates will also visit the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology Center to observe its work with budding businesses. Mike Dozier, director of community and economic development at Fresno State, and Emil Milevoj, director of the University Business Center, will give a brief presentation on economic development and small businesses.
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, the Fresno State Armenian Studies Program coordinator, will end the day with a presentation on the impact of the Armenian community in the San Joaquin Valley.
“The delegation’s visit to Fresno State will demonstrate the role of agriculture in Fresno County,” said Der Mugrdechian. “The university community will also benefit from the visit by becoming more familiar with Armenia.”
The delegation’s visit, he added, has “potential for cooperation and joint activities in the future.”
Etchmiadzin, the fourth largest city in Armenia, established ties with Fresno, California’s fifth largest city, in 2009.
(Copy by University Communications news intern Christy Patron)
Related link:
