Are talented girls prohibited from participating in Baze youth festival?
After a year's interval, "Baze" pan-Armenian youth festival restarts in a new format, organizers say.
If earlier the festival hosted about 350 participants, this year their number is expected to triple. The major event will host over 1200 participants from Armenia and Diaspora, as well as representatives of Armenia's national minorities.
The main objective of the festival is to unify youth. Young people aged 18-30 will live in tents. The participants of the event will have meetings with state, political and public figures. The organizers have already sent invitations to political parties as well as opposition Armenian National Congress.
Seven people will be chosen from each marz to participate in annual Baze gathering. However, as participants say, the pre-election phase is formal; with most of the participants being decided in advance.
President of Baze festival Samvel Mertarjyan dismissed the information, saying the event is held under the auspices of Serzh Sargsyan and they must "respect the rules of the game."
Mertarjyan noted that the jury includes professors from the State Theatrical University and Conservatoire as well as participants of sports competitions and artistic leaders.
"Why should we choose weaker participants instead of a talented and gifted youth? You had better focus on another important issue: in marzes parents do not allow their talented girls to partake in the event," he said.
During the first stage of the event (July 22-31), Baze camp will be formed in Armenian town of Byurakan. The main stage of the annual gathering is to be held in Tsakhkadzor on August 20-24.
