armenia
The Goethe-Institut announced at its annual press conference on Monday in Berlin that it would be setting up shop in Baku, Azerbaijan and Yerevan, Armenia, in the coming year. The German parliament has reserved three million euros for the branches, which would host language courses and cultural programming. The organization already runs 159 institutes in 98 countries.
![Photo by The U.S. Army](https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/sites/default/files/styles/275x168/public/uploads/4NovemberTWiPD.jpg?itok=zd7S_Wb1)
Headlines looked at how bilateral relationships can influence public diplomacy
The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Indonesia Edward Nalbandian and Retno Marsudi held a meeting in Jakarta today. The parties discussed the development of bilateral relations, as well as a number of urgent issues on regional and international agenda. They attached importance to the intensification of the political dialogue between the two countries, expand the legal framework, encourage educational and cultural exchange.
How do Ukrainians and Armenians who live around the world contribute to the communities where they have settled? How do they engage with their countries of heritage? If your family originally came from Ukraine or Armenia, share your stories by joining a webchat with others like you and with top U.S. diplomats. The chat will be held on September 8 at 9 a.m. EDT.
In a visit to Armenia, Pope Francis has urged the world to never forget the Ottoman-era slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians which he termed a genocide – a characterization likely to cause tensions with Turkey.
![Truth Held Hostage](https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/sites/default/files/styles/275x168/public/uploads/15-beautiful-reasons-to-fall-in-love-with-Armenia1.jpg?itok=QAnbgFfO)
Armenia and Turkey have long been at odds. Divided over a tragic past, the neighboring countries do not have diplomatic ties, and their border remains closed. Despite this, in November 2014, a group of Turks traveled to Armenia for Startup Weekend, an event where aspiring entrepreneurs hone and pitch their ideas to investors and experts.